The Vikings have played better and probably saved their season in recent weeks.  Improved coaching and performance has also met head on with mediocre opponents.  The Vikings have won five straight games but four of the wins are against teams with losing records.  Oakland, Detroit, San Francisco and Chicago are a combined 19-37.

The Vikings, 8-6, have defeated two teams with winning records this season, San Diego and the New York Giants.  Minnesota has played a total of four teams with winning records, losing twice to Green Bay and once to Dallas, plus the wins against the Chargers and Giants.  The collective record: 2-3.

One-quarter of the Vikings’ wins are against Chicago after Minnesota beat the Bears on Monday night for a second time this season.  The Bears, 5-9, are one of eight teams in the 16-team NFC with a losing record.

With two games remaining in the regular season, the Vikings have seen a parade of quarterbacks who can be more scary bad than good.  The list includes Kyle Orton of the Bears who hadn’t started a game for about two years until Monday night.  Earlier in the month San Francisco started 35-year-old Trent Dilfer, now a journeyman quarterback who has thrown 12 interceptions and seven touchdown passes this season.  Apparently up next is 36-year-old Todd Collins who comes to town with Washington for Sunday night’s game after last weekend receiving his first start since 1997.

Collins took over for injured Jason Campbell who has thrown 11 interceptions in 13 games.  That hasn’t helped the Redskins score points and they rank 23^rd in the NFL at 19.6 points per game.  The Vikings are 19^th at 23.2 points but rank 30^th in third down efficiency.

The Vikings hope for a better night Sunday from quarterback Tarvaris Jackson than his performance against the Bears when he threw three interceptions. Coach Brad Childress was asked after the game how close his second year quarterback is to being ready to lead the Vikings into the playoffs.  “I didn’t understand that last word,” Childress answered. “I wouldn’t know that. I just know that he’s close enough to lead us to a win over the Bears, and we have to worry about the Redskins.”

Jackson told Sports Headliners he expects the Redskins to bring “the heat” on Sunday night.  “They blitz quite a bit,” he said. “They pretty much bring it a lot. …”

The Vikings’ offense has been helped considerably by a defense adept at turning turnovers into points. With another interception return for a score, the Vikings can break the team record of six for the most interception returns for touchdowns in a season. The 1992 team also had six.

With one rushing touchdown Adrian Peterson can tie a team record for the most rushing touchdowns in a season. Peterson has 12 and the record is shared by Chuck Foreman and Terry Allen.

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Washington coach Joe Gibbs is 8-1 in his career against the Vikings. Former Gopher Anthony Montgomery plays defensive tackle for the Redskins.

The Wild’s Jacques Lemaire coached in his 1,000th NHL game Tuesday night, becoming the 14th coach in NHL history to reach that level. Scotty Bowman is the  all-time leader with 2,141 games. Lemaire has a career coaching record of 476-365-160, including 229-206-91 with the Wild in six-plus seasons. The Wild’s 209 wins in the first six seasons is the most among the nine NHL expansion teams since 1991. Lemaire led the Wild to its fourth straight winning season in 2006-07 with a 48-26-8 record, setting franchise records for wins and points (104). Lemaire also coached in Montreal and New Jersey, and has never been fired as an NHL coach.  He’s participated in 11 Stanley Cups as a player, coach and executive.

This week coach Tim Brewster signed four junior college players to national letters of intent who were pursued by other major college football programs, according to a news release from the University of Minnesota. Safety Tramaine Brock was recruited by South Carolina, Mississippi and Mississippi State. Quarterback David Pittman’s offers included Arizona State, UCLA and Washington State.  Linebacker Rex Sharpe committed to Auburn coming out of high school and more recently was pursued by Colorado. Cornerback Traye Simmons’ offers included Florida, California and Purdue.

The Gopher basketball team plays its last non-conference home game tomorrow (Saturday) night against Santa Clara, a team that lost by 26 at Stanford earlier this week. Santa Clara, 7-4, won at Utah by 15 in November.  Center John Bryant is averaging 20 points and 8.6 rebounds.  The Gophers are 7-1 and have three non-conference games on the road next week, all in Las Vegas in the “Duel in the Desert” tournament.

Minnesota’s subs have out scored opponents in each of the eight games this year. The Gophers hold a cumulative 270-120 bench scoring edge. A Gopher has scored at least nine points off the bench in every game, led by Blake Hoffarber’s 21 points against Colorado State.

Former Star Tribune Timberwolves beat writer Steve Aschburner, now writing for www.sportsillustratedcnn.com, has an article this week about Craig Smith who has scored 20 points or more three times in his last eight games, including 30 and 36 point performances. Aschburner named Smith to his NBA Second Round All-Star team.  The Wolves selected Smith on the second round of the 2006 draft.

Assistant general manager Fred Hoiberg said the Timberwolves franchise is trying to put a “foundation” in place of quality core players who will be with the team for several years, similar to the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs model.  “Pieces” can be added, Hoiberg said, but it’s important to have continuity on the roster.

Gustavus has seven teams ranked in Division III national polls.  Those teams are women’s golf (No.2), men’s tennis (No.5), men’s golf (No.6), women’s hockey (No.8), men’s swimming (No.11), women’s tennis (No.11), and women’s swimming (No.24).

USA Hockey will host its annual women’s Holiday Camp from December 26 – January 1 at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, New York. Of the 56 players invited to the camp, 12 have University of Minnesota connections. The Gophers will have current team members Rachael Drazan, Gigi Marvin, Erica McKenzie, Anya Miller, Jen Schoullis and Emily West participating at the camp. Former Gopher Natalie Darwitz will also participate, plus Gopher recruits Sarah Erickson, Alyssa Grogan, Anne Schleper, Jocelyne Lamoureux and Monique Lamoureux. The training camp serves as a tryout and training session for the U.S. Women’s National Team and U.S. Women’s National Under-18 Team, both of which participate in world championships in the early part of 2008.

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Joe Mauer had hernia surgery about three weeks ago at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, according to his grandfather Jake.  The Twins catcher has been bothered by hernia problems in the past including last season but Jake said his grandson is “doing real well” now. “He’s pain free and ready to go,” Jake said.

Earlier in the fall the plan was no surgery. However, more recently it was determined the severity of the hernia warranted surgery, Jake said.

Joe is at his home in Florida, working out, playing golf and relaxing.  He will continue conditioning in Florida next month, following a brief Christmas stay in Minnesota, according to his grandfather.

Not only did Joe have a hernia problem last season, but he missed several weeks with a quadriceps injury.  He was in 109 games, after playing in 140 in 2006.    The American League batting champion in 2006 with a .347 average, he hit .293 last season.  The Twins missed his home run and RBI production, too, with those numbers declining from 13 home runs and 84 RBI in 2006, to seven home runs and 60 RBI.  Regarded as one of baseball’s better catchers, Mauer’s defensive and leadership skills were missed by the Twins when he wasn’t healthy or able to play.

Jake said Joe was “down on himself” because of the injuries.  Some may describe Joe as an old-fashioned athlete who doesn’t complain and keeps frustrations to himself.  Jake said Joe told him he has to have a better season in 2008.

The 24-year-old Mauer is regarded as one of baseball’s most valuable properties.  A story earlier this year in the Sporting News named Mauer as THE player to build a team around.  Six of the 12 baseball evaluators (including major league general managers) preferred Mauer as the player to start a franchise with.

Jake said Joe doesn’t say a word about the Twins roster changes that include the departure of Torii Hunter and possible trade of Johan Santana.  His view is the Twins “know what they’re doing,” according to Jake.

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