How about some mid-week news and notes?

• Was Fat Pat a Cowboys fan while growing up in Louisiana and playing college football at Texas A&M? Uh...no. Don't even speak of such nonsense to Pat. "I grew up my mama's fan. That's my only hero. I was nobody's fan. But you guys go ahead and pump them up." [Pioneer Press]
  
• Take a look at last week's games and it becomes clear that starting slow in a playoff game means that you'll be hitting the golf course sooner rather than later. Then consider that in three of their last four games, the Vikings failed to score in the first quarter. Clearly, if the Vikings are going to come out of Sunday's game with a win, it's important for them to get off to a quick start. [Viking Update]
• Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Pam Oliver, and Chris Myers will call Sunday's game. [Vikings.com]
• Is the Favre-to-Lewis game-winner the 2009 Sprint Can't-Miss Play of the Year? I think yes. Head over to NFL.com and vote for the Minneapolis Miracle as the year's best play. [NFL.com]
• Kevin Seifert notes that the Vikings have a .661 home record since moving into the Metrodome and are 6-5 in playoff games at the Dome. [NFC North Blog]
• This Sunday's game will be the 22nd playoff game of Brett Favre's career. Mike Wobschall notes that Favre is within striking distance of some of Joe Montana’s playoff passing records. [Vikings.com]
• Three Vikings make an appearance on Sporting News' all-pro offense this season (Adrian Peterson, Steve Hutchinson, and Percy Harvin). Harvin made the cut as SN's all-pro kick returner. The New Orleans Saints are the only other team with multiple players on the all-pro offense. [Sporting News]