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Winning Without Playing

"Sometimes when you win, you really lose, and sometimes when you lose, you really win, and sometimes when you win or lose, you actually tie, and sometimes when you tie, you actually win or lose. Winning or losing is all one organic mechanism, from which one extracts what one needs."
-Gloria Clemente, White Men Can't Jump

What the heck ever happened to Rosie Perez, anyway?  I know she's not dead or anything. . .not according to the most useful website on the Internet (non-sports category), anyway.  But I digress.

Yesterday was a bad day to be a 4-win team in the NFC.

-Seattle?  Lost to Kansas City
-Philadelphia?  Lost to Jacksonville
-St. Louis?  Lost to San Diego
-Carolina?  Lost to Dallas

Atlanta was the only NFC team that started the day with 4 wins that came out with a victory.  So right now the NFC has a 7-0 team (Chicago), three 5-2 teams (New York Giants, New Orleans and Atlanta). . .and then a mess.  What does that mean for Minnesota?

It means that, with a win tonight over New England, the Vikings can take a firm grip on their own post-season destiny for this year.  And, quite frankly, even if the Vikings lose. . .they still hold head-to-head tiebreakers over Carolina and Seattle, and they'll get a shot at St. Louis in Week 17 at the Dome.

So, to steal a phrase from well-known American philosopher Ice Cube. . .yesterday was a good day.

Game preview/Open Thread coming up later today.  Enjoy your Monday, folks!