With a 9-1 record, the Vikings are comfortably ahead in the NFC North Division title race but it’s the conference championship and home field advantage in the playoffs that matters most now.
Division rivals Green Bay and Chicago have records of 6-4 and 4-6. Down at the other end of the Mississippi River, New Orleans has the only NFC undefeated team, the 10-0 Saints.
The Vikings’ goal needs to be finishing the 16 game regular season with a better record than the Saints. Playing in the raucous Superdome against the Saints with the prize being a trip to the Super Bowl won’t be the Vikings’ first choice. Making the Saints or another NFC team come here to the noisy Metrodome is the preferred situation for the Vikings.
The Saints and Vikings aren’t on each other’s regular season schedules. The Saints’ remaining six opponents are a combined 24-26, while the Vikings’ foes are 28-22. If the Vikings and Saints finished the regular season with identical records, various tie breakers could be used to determine home field in a playoff game involving the teams. Among those tie breaking procedures is strength of schedule.
Cruising to a division title for certain doesn’t mean going on cruise control. During the remaining regular season schedule the Vikings will hope to play like they did yesterday in a dominant 35-9 win over Seattle at home.
Coach Brad Childress’ team impressed offensively and defensively. Quarterback Brett Favre, completing 22 of 25 passes for four touchdowns, continued to show that despite the presence of all-world running back Adrian Peterson no one is more valuable to this team than their 40-year-old quarterback. The defense held Seattle to 212 net yards.
And did you know that Favre’s one Super Bowl win came in the Superdome in 1997 against New England?