Pelissero: While Bears, Packers slump, Vikings getting their act together

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Vikings did their share of scoreboard-watching early Sunday afternoon.

Then they watched the Dallas Cowboys stomp on their faces for 30 minutes and got booed off the field by their own fans at halftime.

It took a halftime rouser from Randy Moss, an electric kick return from Percy Harvin and a vintage Tony Romo interception in the clutch for the Vikings to escape with a 24-21 triumph -- and a 2-3 record that looks a whole lot better than 1-4.

Funny thing is, the Vikings are looking more and more like they might end up being the team to beat in the NFC North. Or at least the one contender that's getting closer to having its act together, rather than falling apart at the seams.

The Chicago Bears lost a 23-20 decision to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at Soldier Field, dropping the division's surprise front-runner to 4-2. The injury-depleted Green Bay Packers (3-3) lost their second straight by the same score in overtime against the Miami Dolphins.

"Trust me," Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield said, "we had our eyes on those games, too."

Perhaps that explains an anemic first half in which Dallas far outpaced the Vikings in yardage (190-60), first downs (11-6) and time of possession (19:30-10:30) on its way to a 14-7 lead -- despite the borderline pass-interference penalty on Miles Austin that wiped out a 68-yard catch-and-run score.

Moss dropped a few four-letter bombs in the locker room on a day Brett Favre didn't throw him any, and Harvin responded by slipping two ankle tackles on a 95-yard kick-return score that blew the Teflon roof off this place, if only briefly.

"They took momentum from us, and we knew that we had to get it back and score quick after halftime," Harvin said. "Special teams -- we've been thirsty to make a play all year."

The Vikings offense netted only 188 yards, 93 of them through the air. Favre got pummeled early, Adrian Peterson swished a handoff into a short-field Cowboys TD and the Vikings' only two touchdown drives started on the Dallas side of the 50.

But it was the Cowboys who hung themselves -- and perhaps coach Wade Phillips -- again and again with penalties and turnovers, including the two Romo passes E.J. Henderson picked to set up 10 crucial points.

"We were desperate," said Henderson, whose second interception set up Ryan Longwell's 38-yard winner with 4 minutes, 3 seconds to go.

"You heard the 'panic' word all week. Anytime you start off 1-4 -- you don't want to do that."

And avoiding that fate was all that mattered six weeks into a season that's already seen everyone in the NFC drop at least two games.

For all the Vikings' flaws and flailing offensively, they can pull ahead of the Packers next Sunday night at Lambeau Field. There's reason to believe they can do it, too, and not solely because Green Bay might suit up the janitors to fill several positions.

Think of it this way:

• The Vikings found a way to win on Sunday even though Peterson posted season-lows in rushing yards (73) and yards per carry (3.0).

• They found a way to win even though Favre completed 14 passes for 118 yards, took a sack that knocked them out of field-goal position and had barely practiced all week because of tendinitis in his throwing elbow.

• They found a way to win even though Cedric Griffin might have covered better on crutches than Lito Sheppard did in what probably was his final action on defense for the foreseeable future.

• They found a way to win on a short week, in face of all the pressure that comes with the prospect of falling three games below .500, and defeated a talented Cowboys team that had just as much to lose and crumbled.

"We bought one more week," coach Brad Childress said. "And there is parity. All you've got to do is look at everyone's injuries. It's truly a war of attrition, and typically, at the end of the year, you see some of the healthier teams that are still playing."

Favre's elbow is worth monitoring, but he said after the game it felt "great," indicating a cortisone shot earlier in the week helped more than his accuracy. Rookie Chris Cook's imminent return should go a long way toward replacing Griffin.

Upset Favre's old team next week, and who knows?

The Bears may be doing some scoreboard watching of their own sooner than later.

Tom Pelissero is Senior Editor and columnist for 1500ESPN.com. He hosts from 6 to 8 p.m. weeknights and co-hosts from 10 a.m. to noon Sundays on 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
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