I really hate it when athletes talk about "shocking the world". Like the kids in Ethopia are really sitting on pins and needles awaiting the the score of the Browns-Cardinals game. Heck, did you know that England shocked the world earlier this year by beating Australia 12-10 in October in the World Rugby Cup? Yeah, I bet you are still shocked over that one. Riiigghhhht.

But, Vikings fans are currently in a state of shock around the world. Once standing at 3-6 with no hope of making the playoffs the team has won three straight to climb back to 6-6 and actually gain some control of their own destiny. And I received this e-mail from Mike Salmon....of England.... a few hours after the Vikes demolished the Detroit Lions 42-10:

42 to 10 ... made my Sunday, well the highlights did. Adrian Petersen looked good, with no ill effects form his injury, I love the way he runs AT people and the the little "right, left, right" shoulder shimmy he does to throw off defenders. The Vikings are now 6-6 and certainly seem to have gathered some momentum over the last few weeks, looking to get in the playoff race for sure. Okay, I know that Detroit are sliding backwards and they did play poorly, with some awful coverage on their defence, but hey .... a win is a win.

And Mike is no ordinary Vikings fan having held Randy Moss in his arms not all that long ago. That's Mike in the purple hat in the photo below.

Well, Mike. How's this for shocking? I now project the Vikings as not only making the playoffs but making the playoffs as the #5 seed.

(Pause for dramatic effect.)

Here is my post Week 13 final NFC playoff picture:

1) Dallas
2) Green Bay
3) Seattle (hold tie-breaker over the Bucs)
4) Tampa Bay
5) Vikings
6) N.Y. Giants

In a change from last week, I now have the Vikings running the table (I'm giddy!) and finishing up with a 10-6 record. The road will be tough with the Bears MNF game looming large in a few weeks. And there will be plenty of key games for Vikings fans to watch in the coming weeks.

Week 14

Chicago at Washington: You cheer for the Redskins to beat up the Bears
Giants at Philly: Really, it doesn't matter who wins as either team losing helps the Vikes

Week 15

Arizona at New Orleans: You probably cheer against the Saints in this one
Philly at Dallas: Root against the Eagles
Washington at Giants: Pretty clear by now we want the Redskins to score an upset

Week 16

Philly at New Orleans: Too far out to know which team we want. We do know it may be important

Week 17

New England at Giants: This is where the Vikes move into a tie with the G-Men
New Orleans at Chicago: Go, oh Hell, I don’t know any more.

Right now I have the Vikes as the 5th seed traveling to Tampa to open up the Wild Card playoffs. A very winnable game. The Vikes can afford to drop one game, maybe two. This is a team who has the leading run offense and run defense. The Vikes will be on every analyst’s lips as a team to fear in the playoffs. Bunching up behind the Vikes will be:

8-8 Record

Philadelphia (hold tie-breaker over Vikes)
New Orleans
Arizona

7-9 Records

Detroit

And don’t forget about the Bears but the Vikes do hold the tie-breaker currently.

That's it for now. I have to check flights to Tampa in early January.

Posted by maasx003 at December 2, 2007 04:47 PM