Vikings Look for Greener Pastures

MINNEAPOLIS —  With disaster avoided, the Minnesota Vikings finally have guaranteed themselves another chance--maybe their last chance--to get Coach Dennis Green his first playoff victory.

The Vikings ended a losing streak at five games and qualified for the playoffs for the fifth time in Green’s six seasons Sunday with their highest-scoring game of the season, a 39-28 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

“This is a huge relief,” said Randall Cunningham, who will be the fifth quarterback to start a playoff game under Green. “We were able to go out and do what we needed to do to get into the playoffs.”

Cunningham offset three interceptions with four touchdown passes, three of them to Cris Carter. The Vikings (9-7) also got 160 yards rushing from Robert Smith--who also set a team rushing record with 1,266 yards last season--and turned a season-high three interceptions into 15 points.

Minnesota will play the NFC East-champion New York Giants at the Meadowlands in Saturday’s first playoff game. The Vikings are 0-4 in the playoffs during Green’s tenure.

With the team for sale and Green’s midseason threat to sue for control of the team still lingering, there is a good chance the Vikings will have a new coach next season.

“Guys love playing for Coach Green,” receiver Chris Walsh said. “If he’s not the best, he’s one of the three or four best coaches in the league.”

The Vikings needed to win to be assured of giving Green another chance in the playoffs. They did it by knocking Jim Harbaugh out of the game twice, first with a head injury with the score tied in the second quarter and again after Harbaugh rallied the Colts (3-13) within eight points in the fourth quarter.

“In and out, hurt all the time, playing with pain. [Harbaugh] gave a great account of himself out there,” Colt Coach Lindy Infante said.

Harbaugh experienced numbness on his left side throughout the game and will be examined today for a disk problem in his neck. In his place, Kelly Holcomb accounted for all of the Indianapolis turnovers with three interceptions and two fumbles.