Wild Celeb Pictures - April 2007
Minnesota Vikings Schedule
Sunday, Dec 2 Detroit 1:00 pm Buy Tickets FOX
Sunday, Dec 9 at San Francisco 4:05 pm Buy Tickets FOX
Monday, Dec 17 Chicago 8:30 pm Buy Tickets ESPN
Sunday, Dec 23 Washington 1:00 pm Buy Tickets FOX
Sunday, Dec 30 at Denver 4:15 pm Buy Tickets FOX
The Minnesota Vikings are part of the tight NFC wild-card race, and now they are about to get back the league's leading rusher, Adrian Peterson after winning their last 2 games without him.
The Lions did really well against Peterson the first time they saw him but the Lions probably won't be happy to see the big man back on the field Sunday as they try to win in the Metrodome for the first time in 10 years.
Peterson should be returning after missing two games with a torn lateral collateral ligament in his right knee. Still leading the NFL with 1,081 yards rushing, Peterson will be playing his first game at the Metrodome since rushing for an NFL-record 296 yards and scoring three touchdowns in a win over San Diego on November 4.
Childress said Peterson would likely split carries with veteran Chester Taylor, whose solid production the last two weeks have helped Minnesota to wins over the Oakland Raiders and New York Giants. Chester Taylor ran for 241 yards and four touchdowns in those games.
The Detroit Lions did a good job spoiling Peterson's first NFL start on Sept. 16, holding him to 66 yards on 20 carries in a 20-17 overtime victory.
Wild Celeb Pictures - April 2007
That win was part of a surprising 6-2 start for the Lions, seeking to end an eight-year playoff drought. They were one game behind Green Bay for the NFC North lead halfway through the season, but things have quickly gone south.
Detroit dropped its 3 straight game with a loss to the Packers on Thanksgiving, falling 4 games back of first-place Green Bay.
"We've hit three bumps in the road and after all the smoke cleared, we're still in the playoff race and in a good position," Dominic Raiola said.
The Lions are in sole possession of the NFC's final wild-card spot, but 6 teams are 1 game back - Washington, Philadelphia and Arizona - all own tiebreakers over Detroit. The Lions final five opponents are 35-20 - the toughest remaining schedule among the 12 NFC teams that are at least 5-6.
The Lions have won 5 of 21 games in December since 2002, and they open the calendar's final month in the Metrodome, where they have lost 9 straight games since a 14-13 victory on Dec. 14, 1997.
Minnesota is one of those teams that is a game back of Detroit, but will lose the tiebreaker with the Lions and destroy any playoff hopes if they dont win Sunday.
Last Sunday, The Vikings intercepted New York's Eli Manning 4 times, and set a single-game record by returning 3 of them for touchdowns. The Vikings had 3 interceptions in the loss to Detroit in September.
Jon Kitna threw one of those interceptions, and when he left after being hit hard, backup J.T. O'Sullivan threw the other two interceptions. In three career games against Minnesota, Kitna has thrown three touchdowns to seven interceptions.
Jon Kitna has thrown for 897 yards during the three-game skid, but does have 4 TD passes compared to six interceptions and has been sacked 11 times.
Kevin Jones rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries last week after running for just 21 yards and a TD on 15 attempts in his previous two games combined. Jones didn't play against the Vikings in Week 2 because of a foot injury.
The Vikings lead the league in rushing defense (74.8 yards per game), and is allowing an average of 53.8 rushing yards in its last four games at home in the Metrodome.
Minnesota Vikings Schedule
Sunday, Dec 2 Detroit 1:00 pm Buy Tickets FOX
Sunday, Dec 9 at San Francisco 4:05 pm Buy Tickets FOX
Monday, Dec 17 Chicago 8:30 pm Buy Tickets ESPN
Sunday, Dec 23 Washington 1:00 pm Buy Tickets FOX
Sunday, Dec 30 at Denver 4:15 pm Buy Tickets FOX
