Football
20y

Winter winning: Vikings hope to copy last year's December success

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings are still
forging an identity under second-year coach Mike Tice.

One thing they'd really like to be known as is a team that
finishes strong.

"We just have to take this momentum into next week,"
quarterback Daunte Culpepper said after Minnesota's 34-7 win over
Seattle on Sunday. "There's no doubt in my mind it will carry
over."

Three consecutive victories to close 2002 did little for the
Vikings in the standings -- they went 6-10 in Tice's first year. But
they're hoping to emulate that success in the regular season's
final month this time around -- and head into the playoffs on a high
note.

"In order to be a good football team, you have to win in
December," cornerback Ken Irvin said. "We had a fall in the
middle, but that's all in the past now."

Minnesota fans nearly lost faith after five losses in six games
erased a 6-0 start and placed the Vikings' NFC North lead over
Green Bay on unstable ground.

But a resounding victory over the Seahawks quickly put
Minnesota's playoff hopes in much better shape. The foundation was
laid during a hard, physical week of practice, an uncommon concept
so late in an NFL season when the bumps and bruises are piling up
on most players.

If the Vikings (8-5) win at Chicago this weekend and the
Chargers can upset the Packers in San Diego, Minnesota would clinch
the division title.

Even if Green Bay is victorious, beating the Bears will assure
the Vikings a better division record than the Packers -- meaning
Minnesota would win the North if the two teams wind up tied.

"I can't get myself concerned with tiebreakers. All of that
stuff takes care of itself when you win," said Tice, whose
defensive coordinator, George O'Leary, became the head coach at the
University of Central Florida on Monday. O'Leary will finish the
season with the Vikings.

His candidacy was given a boost by the performance of the
defense, which was squarely behind the team's 6-0 start and also
largely responsible for the November slump. The unit made amends
against Seattle, holding one of the league's best offenses to 258
total yards and Shaun Alexander to just 56 yards rushing.

"This was a boost of confidence for us," said rookie
linebacker Mike Nattiel, who had an 80-yard interception return for
a touchdown. "We had a couple of games where we made a couple of
bad plays, and it cost us the game. I think we showed everyone that
we're a good team."

The Seahawks thought so. Coach Mike Holmgren even admitted he
was outcoached. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck could only smile when
asked about watching Culpepper throw three long touchdown passes --
two to Randy Moss.

"It's like recess," Hasselbeck. "It's like, 'Hey, go long."

They were able to do that because they established their running
game. Michael Bennett rushed for a season-high 103 yards before
spraining his ankle in the fourth quarter (he's expected to play
against Chicago).

"It was nice to get in a rhythm," Bennett said. "Coach had
the attitude that we would pound them and pound them and not let
up. I think the guys had the mindset to be physical."

The Vikings have one of the best long-ball threats in the league
with Moss, so it's tempting to do that a lot. They also have one of
the biggest offensive lines, though, so it makes sense to use that
to their advantage.

"Big men are made to go forward," Tice said. "When you go
forward with all of that force, you start to wear down people."

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