Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Sunday night generated several important milestones for the Vikings, not the least of which is this: They grabbed sole possession of the NFC North lead for the first time in coach Brad Childress' tenure.

(The Vikings, in fact, hadn't been alone atop the division since the midpoint of the 2004 season).

Childress downplayed the distinction during a Monday news conference but admitted -- in his own way -- that he was aware of it. Here's the full give-and-take Childress had with a Minnesota reporter:

In a situation like this, do you allow yourself to even glance at the standings right now? I think this is the first time that you're in sole possession of first place since you took over as coach. Do you allow for a moment of enjoying that ...

Brad Childress: A moment of silence?

A moment of whatever.

BC: Yeah, I had a vodka as big as your head last night.

How are you feeling this morning after that? Doubtful?

BC: No. Unshaven.

Is it something you will glance at?

BC: No. I haven't had a chance to glance at anything. I'm aware of that, but that's about it right now.

The reporter would not reveal the exact size of his head. But it's safe to say Childress had a good time Sunday night.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

It's about the time of year in Detroit when draft position is one of the few conversation pieces left with the Lions. Along those lines, David Birkett of the Oakland Press notes the Lions have a stranglehold on the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft.

The Lions' 0-12 record is the NFL's worst, followed by Cincinnati at 1-10-1. Kansas City, Seattle and St. Louis are all 2-10.

No matter what any of those other teams do, the Lions would have to win two of their final four games to fall from their No. 1 perch. Their remaining schedule includes games come against Minnesota (7-5), Indianapolis (8-4), New Orleans (6-6) and Green Bay (5-7).

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

After the Packers' 35-31 loss to Carolina, here are three (mostly) indisputable facts I feel relatively sure about:

1. With the season rapidly spinning out of control, you have to wonder if Green Bay is headed toward a more thorough personnel overhaul than originally expected. Cornerback Al Harris said last week that he believes he will be traded in the offseason, and it will be interesting to see what the Packers do with aging tackles Mark Tauscher and Chad Clifton. Is there any reason to keep a one-dimensional defensive tackle like Ryan Pickett if the run defense is going to be so porous? Will they count on Nick Barnett returning as middle linebacker? Do they think A.J. Hawk can do the job? Or will they need to find someone else to play the position? These questions will all brew with more intensity as the offseason grows closer.

2. The Packers seemed to be grasping at straws a bit Sunday by moving cornerback Charles Woodson to safety when Atari Bigby was injured. Coach Mike McCarthy explained that coaches wanted the best players they could get on the field, but taking your best cover man out of man-to-man coverage might not be the best choice. The move demonstrates the dire situation Green Bay's defense was facing. It's now given up 86 points in two games.

3. I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that center Scott Wells had suffered a concussion before his errant shotgun snap went over the head of quarterback Aaron Rodgers late in the second quarter. You can blame Rodgers for trying to scoop up the ball instead of falling on it, but regardless, the turnover allowed Carolina to extend its lead to 21-10 at halftime. Needless to say, the Packers would have been in much better shape in the second half had they managed to get to the locker room down by four points.

And here is one question I'm still asking:

Why did the Packers wait so long to release punter Derrick Frost? At the very least, Frost never exceeded the inconsistent ways of predecessor Jon Ryan. You can't necessarily say that Frost cost the Packers a single game, but it appears the Packers made a fundamental personnel mistake: Grabbing another team's flawed castoff in hopes he is less flawed than your own incumbent.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

After the Vikings' 34-14 victory over the Bears, here are three (mostly) indisputable facts I feel relatively sure about:

1. A few people in the press box were joking Sunday night about the "Frerotte Flop," a new dance that quarterback Gus Frerotte seems to have perfected. Basically, it goes like this: Get hit in the pocket, appear to be knocked unconscious, finally drag yourself off the field and return for the next series. We don't mean to make light of the genuinely rough hits Frerotte has absorbed, but let's just say he's made some awfully speedy recoveries in recent games. How confident were the Vikings that he would return to Sunday night's game after being knocked down by Chicago's Adewale Ogunleye? Backup Tarvaris Jackson never took a warm-up throw.

2. The Vikings could lose defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams as early as this week if the NFL rules on the appeal of their four-game suspensions. But their big break was having both players available for Sunday night's game. Pat Williams, especially, made a huge impact against the run. Kevin Williams' presence helped free Jared Allen for three sacks. There is no way to know for sure what will happen, but it was interesting that the Vikings sent out both players for the coin toss as game captains Sunday night.

3. Credit offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell for an aggressive approach after the offense took over at the 1-yard line. The Bears were so convinced the Vikings would run that they didn't have enough defensive backs to cover every possible receiver. Bevell used a two tight-end formation to further suggest a running play and outright fooled Chicago for a 99-yard touchdown pass to receiver Bernard Berrian. Bevell has taken his share of criticism for his play calling this season, but on this occasion he hit the lottery.

And here is one question I'm still asking:

Should we be worried about Adrian Peterson's health? Twice on Sunday night, Peterson limped to the sideline with an unidentified injury. He returned to the game both times and finished with 28 carries, but he now has rushed 270 times this season -- the second-most in the NFL. There are still four games left to play, in addition to any playoff appearance, and the Vikings will need to monitor Peterson's workload more closely over the stretch.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

After the Bears' 34-14 loss to the Vikings, here are three (mostly) indisputable facts I feel relative sure about:

1. It went largely unspoken in the chaos of Sunday night, but the Bears either lined up wrong on Gus Frerotte's 1-yard touchdown plunge in the second quarter or made a bewildering defensive play call. Traditional goal-line defense calls for a man in every gap, but on this play, the Bears had no one lined up between center Matt Birk and left guard Steve Hutchinson. Frerotte said afterwards he was shocked to see the unmanned gap, and even his 37-year-old legs had no trouble driving into the end zone. It's almost as if the Bears were convinced the Vikings would never call a quarterback keeper.

2. The Bears had a solid game plan against tailback Adrian Peterson and executed it well for the most part. Yes, Peterson finished with 131 yards, but I attribute more than half of that production to his individual ability to break tackles. By my unofficial count, Peterson broke six tackles on a 10-yard run in the first quarter and three more on a 59-yarder in the second. The Bears were partially at fault for not bringing him down, but overall they were in position to stop him all night. Their tactic of using safety Mike Brown near the line of scrimmage was good in theory -- and, absent the missed tackles, would have been good in practice as well.

3. The Bears have a decent passing game, but they aren't good enough to throw well when they're behind. Quarterback Kyle Orton threw bad interceptions in the second half, and Bears receivers Rashied Davis and Devin Hester each dropped passes that would have gone for long gains. Chicago's passing offense is largely predicated on having a viable running threat, which is eliminated when the Bears are facing a deficit.

And here is one question I'm still asking:

We know that Bears cornerback Charles Tillman was responsible for covering Vikings receiver Bernard Berrian and tight end Visanthe Shiancoe on Berrian's 99-yard touchdown reception. But no one has been able to explain why Tillman chose to cover Shiancoe instead of Berrian. It seems reasonable to suggest that you never leave Berrian for anyone in the Vikings offense. If Frerotte had thrown to Shiancoe, Tillman would have been able to run him down before he scored. Berrian? He had no chance.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

Minnesota's Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome qualifies as an endangered species these days. The University of Minnesota will vacate the 26-year-old building for the on-campus TCF Bank Stadium next season, and baseball's Twins will open Target Field in 2010.

The Vikings are hoping to move out of the building as well, but in the meantime the Metrodome is building a unique brand of history.

Our friends at ESPN Stats & Information point out that the Metrodome has been the site of the longest pass, the longest run and the longest overall play in NFL history. Here is a look at each:

• Longest pass (tied with 10 others): Sunday night, Minnesota quarterback Gus Frerotte threw a 99-yard touchdown pass to receiver Bernard Berrian.
• Longest play: In 2007, San Diego cornerback Antonio Cromartie returned a missed field goal 109 yards for touchdown.
  
• Longest run: During the 1982 season, Dallas running back Tony Dorsett ran 99 yards for a touchdown. (The date of game was January 3, 1983.)

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

Deadlines were tight Sunday night, but columnists from Chicago and Minnesota still had time to weigh in on an entertaining, if one-sided, game between the previous NFC North co-leaders. The Vikings' 34-14 victory brought forth a variety of opinions, of which we will take our usual Monday morning sampling.

David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune thought the play before the Vikings' 99-yard touchdown pass represented the true turning point of the game:

Vikings nose tackle Pat Williams and defensive end Jared Allen rose to the occasion, one that was too big for the Bears' offensive line. Williams stuffed the hole on the right side, and an unblocked Allen came from the backside to wrap [Matt] Forte at the waist. ... No matter what "SportsCenter" shows you, that was the play of the game. The one that followed on the Vikings' ensuing possession was more spectacular but not as significant. It was too easy for that.

The Tribune's Rick Morrissey came down hard on quarterback Kyle Orton:

As Sunday's game against the Vikings wore on, Kyle Orton went from Good to Bad to Are You Kidding Me? He threw three second-half interceptions in a crushing 34-14 loss.

Rick Telander of the Chicago Sun-Times got in his shots as well:

People, it's hard to screw up more than the Bears did during a stupendous vapor lock with five minutes to go in the second quarter at the Hump Dome.

Jim Souhan of the Star Tribune, meanwhile, considered Sunday night's game the model the Vikings have been building toward for years.

This is what the Wilfs envisioned when they spent all that money -- Bernard Berrian outrunning his old teammates to the end zone, and the sweat gleaming off Jared Allen's mullet on HD TVs across the land. This is what Brad Childress envisioned when he bestowed the unfortunate nickname of "Kick-ass offense" on his beloved and besieged scheme -- Adrian Peterson running wild, commanding attention from safeties while receivers bolted behind them. This is what the Triangle of Authority envisioned while sketching this team's blueprint -- a team that pounds the line of scrimmage and devours opposing quarterbacks. This is what the Vikings craved all decade -- a dominating, consequential victory that seizes command of a division they've never won, the historic NFC North.

We'll be back later Monday with some a few more thoughts on the division. For now, let's take a look at some news and notes after Week 13's games.

• The Bears might have lost defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek for the season because of a right arm injury, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Despite a sore knee that twice forced him from the game, Minnesota tailback Adrian Peterson reclaimed the NFL rushing lead with 1,311 yards this season. Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune details Peterson's night.
• Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "Is there somebody on this Green Bay Packers team -- anybody at all -- that can make a play when the game is on the line? Apparently not, and the result on Sunday was an agonizing 35-31 defeat against the grateful Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field."
• Green Bay is now giving up 24 yards per kickoff return, writes Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Packers cornerback Charles Woodson after Sunday's loss: "Well right now, we're not a very good team defensively." Rob Demovsky of the Press-Gazette details the Packers' defensive collapse.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

MINNEAPOLIS -- Please, just be in the right spot.

That thought looped through Gus Frerotte's head Sunday night during that seemingly interminable period in the second quarter. Frerotte was waiting to find out if a once-in-a-career pass would succeed or fall to the ground. The defensive alignment was ideal, the safety took a pump fake, the cornerback picked his poison and Minnesota's top receiver was open for a momentum-changing, 99-yard touchdown.

	AP Photo/Tom Olmscheid
	Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Bernard Berrian heads for the end zone on a 99-yard touchdown catch.

All Frerotte had to do was get it there.

"All the years that I have played, you get those calls a lot," Frerotte said. "You're throwing the ball out of the end zone. We're trying to go deep, but if it's not there, you check it down. But it was just one of those things. ... I'm just saying to myself, 'Please just be in the right spot.' You let it go and put some air on it. It ends up being perfect."

Indeed. Frerotte and receiver Bernard Berrian hooked up for the 11th 99-yard pass in NFL history, a well-called and perfectly executed play against a defense stacked for a running play. The score gave Minnesota a lead it never relinquished in a 34-14 victory over Chicago, a game that left the Vikings in sole possession of first place in the NFC North.

How did the Vikings' big-play receiver get so open in that situation? Here's a look at the most interesting play of the NFL weekend, based on interviews with the participants:

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

MINNEAPOLIS -- And down the stretch they come.

With 75 percent of the season in the books, Minnesota has taken control of the NFC North. There have been plenty of ups and downs already in the Black and Blue division, but the Vikings' dominating second-half performance at the Metrodome suggests they are capable of pulling off their first division title since the 2000 season.

Most important, the Vikings are the only team that can win the division without help. They have the toughest remaining schedule, including home games against Atlanta (8-4) and the N.Y. Giants (11-1) to end the season. But after consecutive double-digit victories over Jacksonville and the Bears, you would have to say the Vikings are the only North team playing their best football during the most important part of the season.

The Bears will be left to wonder what might have happened if quarterback Kyle Orton hadn't thrown three second-half interceptions. But no matter what the explanation, the Bears will now need some help -- namely, from the Vikings -- to win a division they have led for most of the season.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

MINNEAPOLIS -- Chicago quarterback Kyle Orton hadn't thrown an interception since September 28 heading into Sunday night's matchup against Minnesota. But he has thrown three in the second half here at the Metrodome, and the Vikings converted the first two into touchdowns to build a 17-point lead midway through the fourth quarter.

All three interceptions -- one by Darren Sharper, another by linebacker Ben Leber and a third by nickelback Benny Sapp -- came on poorly-thrown balls. Unless something dramatic happens, those plays will be a big part of why Minnesota finishes this weekend in first place in the NFC North.

We'll be back with you shortly after the final whistle and then again a few hours later.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

MINNEAPOLIS -- If you are a fan of receivers blocking downfield, make sure you check out the replay of Minnesota receiver Bobby Wade pancaking Chicago safety Kevin Payne in the third quarter here Sunday night.

Wade's block, at about the 10-yard line, cleared the way for Minnesota tailback Chester Taylor to finish off a 21-yard scoring run. The play gave the Vikings a 24-14 lead with 4:27 left in the third quarter.

Wade is a former Chicago receiver, but he and Payne were never teammates.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

MINNEAPOLIS -- Glad we closed our last post with the reminder about how quickly things can change.

Here's what happened in the span of four plays at the Metrodome:

Minnesota tailback Adrian Peterson limped off the field after a two-yard run. (He has since returned to the field.)

Chicago safety Kevin Payne intercepted a pass off a tip from Danieal Manning, returning the ball 36 yards to the Vikings' 4-yard line.

Bears tailback Matt Forte caught a two-yard touchdown pass. (Where was that play on the goal line in the second quarter?)

It's now 17-14 midway through the third quarter in a hard-hitting and entertaining game.

Sometimes you can wait an entire game for someone to take control. It might not happen in this one.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

MINNEAPOLIS -- For a while there, it looked like Minnesota was going to botch up another big game. (Could still happen, but stay with us here for a minute.)

During the first quarter and a half, the Vikings wiped out two sacks because of encroachment. Nickelback Benny Sapp extended a Chicago drive with a foolish personal foul. Special teams cover man David Herron unnecessarily slid into the end zone while trying to down a punt at the one-yard line, causing a touchback.

But as we sit here at halftime, it is the Bears who seem to be melting down. Cornerback Charles Tillman inexplicably left Vikings receiver Bernard Berrian alone on the sideline for what turned out to be a 99-yard scoring pass. On the next possession, Tillman horse-collared Berrian at the Bears' 36-yard line, putting the Vikings in position for another touchdown as the first half closed with the Vikes up, 17-7.

The Bears can calm things down if they can grab a score early in the third quarter. The first half proved that things can change in a hurry.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

MINNEAPOLIS -- You just saw the most extreme 14-point turnaround there can be in a football game.

One play after stopping Chicago on four plays inside the 2-yard line, Minnesota took a 10-7 lead on a 99-yard scoring pass from Gus Frerotte to Bernard Berrian. The Bears went for the knockout blow, but now the Vikings have the clear momentum.

It was the 11th 99-yard pass in NFL history, in case you're interested.

Everyone will have their own opinion, but I don't have a huge problem with the Bears eschewing the field goal on fourth down. What I am at a loss to explain is why they insisted on running right at Vikings nose tackle Pat Williams. Naturally, Williams made the play on tailback Matt Forte -- with some help from defensive end Jared Allen.

We'll have more at halftime. By the way, if anyone knows what Bears cornerback Charles Tillman was thinking on the Berrian touchdown -- Tillman turned inside and let Berrian run unfettered down the left sideline -- let me know. Should he have had safety help? That's something we'll hope to find out later tonight.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

MINNEAPOLIS -- Some observations from the Metrodome:

• There was a near-riot here as Minnesota quarterback Gus Frerotte regained his senses after a hard  -- and late -- hit from Chicago defensive end Adewale Ogunleye. Stadium operators have shown the hit about a half-dozen times on the replay screen. I have no idea why Ogunleye wasn't penalized. I can only assume the hit came so late that officials weren't even watching the pocket anymore. Frerotte is expected to remain in the game.
• Chicago doesn't seem surprised by anything Minnesota is doing with tailback Adrian Peterson. Safety Mike Brown is blitzing frequently and disrupting the backfield. But Peterson has put forth two tremendous personal efforts for his longest pair of runs, a 10-yarder that he broke six tackles on and a 59-yarder in which Peterson broke away from three tacklers.
• It's not often that you see a team go after Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield the way Chicago is tonight, apparently in its effort to get Devin Hester involved early in the offense. By my unofficial count, the Bears have thrown to Hester with Winfield in coverage three times already. One went for a 65-yard touchdown.