I thought it was Monday night not Sunday?We need to get this one easy. Baltimore is decent but not better then us and we need to win all of our games to even hope for a wildcard spot.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GreasedLightning @ Dec 24 2005, 12:55 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'>I thought it was Monday night not Sunday?We need to get this one easy. Baltimore is decent but not better then us and we need to win all of our games to even hope for a wildcard spot.</div> Jets/Patriots is monday night. I think Minnesota will win, they seem to be good at beating up on bad teams *cough*
Heeeeey <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>(Sports Network) - All the Minnesota Vikings want for Christmas is a playoff berth.As for the Baltimore Ravens, who will play host to Mike Tice's team on Sunday night, the opportunity to play the role of spoiler will do just fine.Minnesota missed out on a chance to improve its postseason chances last week, falling at home to the Steelers, 18-3, to snap a six-game winning streak. The Vikings entered Week 16 still in the NFC Wild Card hunt along with the Buccaneers, Redskins, and Cowboys, but would likely have to win their final two contests and get some help to advance to the postseason for a second consecutive year. Minnesota was two games back of NFC North-leading Chicago as Week 16 began, needing a win and a Bears loss to the Packers on Sunday in order to remain in the division title mix. Minnesota will play host to Chicago on the final day of the regular season.There will be no playoff implications for the Ravens heading into the Christmas night affair, but Brian Billick and company will have a chance to build on Monday's 48-3 rout of the Green Bay Packers. Baltimore is trying to avoid its first 10-loss season since Billick took the helm in 1999, and also has a chance to emerge from the AFC North cellar. The Ravens and Browns were both 5-9 heading into Week 16, and the teams will square off next Sunday in Cleveland for a battle to stay out of the basement.SERIES HISTORYThe all-time series between the Vikings and Ravens is knotted at one, with Minnesota taking a 38-28 road decision in 1998 and Baltimore returning the favor with a 19-3 home victory in the 2001 regular season finale. The latter game was the first in the tenure of Tice, who had taken over for Dennis Green on an interim basis.Billick is 1-0 in his career against the Vikings, for whom he served as an assistant coach from 1992 through 1998. Tice is 0-1 head-to-head against both Billick and the Ravens.VIKINGS OFFENSE VS. RAVENS DEFENSEAfter playing efficiently throughout the Vikings' six-game winning streak, Minnesota quarterback Brad Johnson (1390 passing yards, 8 TD, 4 INT) failed to consistently move the offense in the team's loss to the Steelers. Johnson completed 16-of-30 passes for 143 yards in the game, failing to lead a touchdown drive and also tossing a pair of picks. Johnson's passer rating for 2005 dropped to 83.7 following the outing. Four Minnesota wide receivers had multiple receptions against the Steelers, with Koren Robinson (20 receptions, 1 TD) and Travis Taylor (42 receptions, 2 TD) catching three balls each and Nate Burleson (20 receptions, 1 TD) and Marcus Robinson (30 receptions, 5 TD) contributing two receptions apiece. Tight end and Vikings receptions leader Jermaine Wiggins (59 receptions) was held to two catches for nine yards while battling a sprained left ankle. Wiggins is expected to be in the lineup this week. The Minnesota line allowed two sacks last week, and has now surrendered an NFC-high 51 on the year. The Vikes are 22nd in the league in passing offense (191.4 yards per game).The Ravens come into Week 16 ranked seventh in the league against the pass (183.3 yards per game), and are fresh off their biggest playmaking game of the season. The Baltimore secondary intercepted Green Bay quarterbacks Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers a total of three times, and nearly had three more picks slip through their collective hands. Cornerbacks Deion Sanders (25 tackles, 2 INT) and Samari Rolle (30 tackles, 1 INT) each had interceptions, and safety Chad Williams (44 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) came up with an interception, a sack, and a forced fumble in the win. Baltimore had three sacks altogether in the win, with end Terrell Suggs (59 tackles, 6 sacks, 2 INT) and outside linebacker Adalius Thomas (72 tackles, 7 sacks, 2 INT) both breaking through along with Williams. Thomas capped off the Baltimore scoring by returning a fumble 35 yards for a touchdown late in the contest.The Minnesota running game struggled mightily in the loss to the Steelers, with running backs Michael Bennett (392 rushing yards, 23 receptions, 4 TD), Ciatrick Fason (63 rushing yards, 3 TD) and Mewelde Moore (556 rushing yards, 27 receptions, 2 TD) combining for just 48 ground yards on 16 carries. Bennett and Fason also lost key fumbles in the defeat. Bennett was the most successful member of the trio, carrying 11 times for 43 yards, and will remain the starter for the Baltimore game. The Vikings rank just 28th in the league in rushing offense (91.1 yards per game) as Week 16 begins.</div>Read More...Only two more hours!
The Vikes choke again. http://nfl.com/gamecenter/recap/NFL_20051225_MIN@BALOW The only bright spot: Daren sharpers 9th int and he's sure to get one agaist the Bears crapy QB's next week giving him 10, a vikings record.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GreasedLightning @ Dec 26 2005, 11:52 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'>The Vikes choke again. http://nfl.com/gamecenter/recap/NFL_20051225_MIN@BALOW The only bright spot: Daren sharpers 9th int and he's sure to get one agaist the Bears crapy QB's next week giving him 10, a vikings record.</div> Yeah, I thought Sharper was done, so IMO, losing him wasn't a loss. Damn, was I wrong. He's had a hell of a year. Sucks to be us.
Sharper played good Week 1 vs Tampa...then was a nobody until that New York Giants game in which he had 3 INT's.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brooksie5 @ Dec 26 2005, 03:09 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'>Sharper played good Week 1 vs Tampa...then was a nobody until that New York Giants game in which he had 3 INT's.</div> You could say that about the D as a whole though. They really started to gel at the same time. 9 picks for DSharp. 1 more is a team record, I think. Grossman may help him fulfill that.
