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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Daunte Culpepper showed the Arizona Cardinals
he doesn't rely solely on his arm and legs to win.
|  | | Robert Smith eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the fourth straight season on Sunday in the Vikings' win. |
The Vikings' quarterback introduced yet another weapon --
patience -- in Minnesota's 31-14 victory on Sunday. He was content
to pass underneath the Cardinals' secondary, throwing for three
touchdowns, running for another and completing 25 of 32 passes for
302 yards.
Cris Carter and Randy Moss added second-half touchdowns and
Robert Smith rushed for 117 yards as Minnesota (8-2) methodically
turned a 10-7 halftime lead into a 31-7 advantage.
"Their safeties were way back," Culpepper said. "They were
trying to stop us from making big plays because they didn't think
I'd be patient enough to still find a way to score."
That's where the Cardinals were wrong. Gone were the sophomore
mistakes that led Culpepper to throw five interceptions in losses
over the past two games. He threw one interception against Arizona,
on an overthrown pass to an open Moss.
"We didn't want to give up the big play, and they were content
to go with the underneath stuff," said Arizona's Aeneas Williams,
who got his fourth career interception in six games against the
Vikings. "They were very patient. They moved the ball down the
field and showed some poise."
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TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
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Question for the Cardinals: Did the Cardinals just run into a mad
Minnesota club?
Donahoe: Maybe so -- the Cardinals played well early in the game, but
the Vikings got on a roll and made it no contest. The key for the Cardinals
is that they may have too many injuries to stay in football games. They're
banged up at linebacker and on the defensive line. It appears that they wear
down in games. This is a problem that hasn't surfaced today -- it's been
that way all year.
Question for the Vikings: Did Daunte Culpepper just need some
home cooking in the Metrodome after back-to-back road losses?
Donahoe: Culpepper had a couple of tough outings in recent weeks --
he had seven turnovers in the last two games (before today). But he seemed
to be very comfortable at home in the Metrodome in what as an important game
for the Vikings. The Vikes were coming off two losses and they need to get
headed back in the right direction. Today, Culpepper's return to his
earlier-season form helped Minnesota stay clearly in the driver's seat in
the NFC Central.
Tom Donahoe, ESPN.com's NFL analyst, was formerly the Steelers' director
of football operations.
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Smith, Carter and Moss combined for 392 of the Vikings' 464
yards.
"Daunte still has learning to do," Moss said with a grin.
"I'll tell Daunte time and time again, 'You work with the best.' I
told him on the field, 'You think Jake Plummer would rather have
them or us?' "
Each of the Vikings' Big Four scored a touchdown.
Smith scored on a 33-yard screen pass in the first quarter. Moss
caught a 4-yard TD pass on a rollout by Culpepper in the third
quarter, and Carter caught a 12-yard TD pass.
None was more impressive than the 3-yard bootleg by Culpepper
that only he and Smith knew was coming. The entire Arizona defense
bit on the fake, and Culpepper was able to jog into the end zone.
"The only person who needs to know is Robert," Culpepper said.
"I looked out and nobody was there. It was six, and I was ready to
go get something to drink."
Smith picked up his 117 yards on 20 carries, giving him 1,025
yards rushing for the season. He is the first back in the team's
40-year history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in four
consecutive seasons. Chuck Foreman had three consecutive 1,000-yard
seasons from 1975-77.
"He was a step or two away from breaking some long runs,"
Vikings coach Dennis Green said. "It was a workhorse day for him.
He had to work hard for it."
The victory was the Vikings' largest winning margin this season.
Minnesota got off to the NFL's only 7-0 start with a series of
fourth-quarter rallies, but they lost the previous two weeks at
Tampa Bay and in overtime at Green Bay.
The Cardinals (3-7) scored in the first quarter with a 75-yard
drive that ended in a 1-yard dive by Michael Pittman, but they
failed to take advantage of two other first-half scoring
opportunities.
In the first quarter, Williams returned his interception to the
Minnesota 15, but the ball was brought back to the Cardinals 44
because of a holding call.
In the second quarter, the Cardinals botched a 28-yard field
goal attempt on a play reminiscent of the Vikings' failed
game-winner last Monday night at Green Bay. Cary Blanchard stopped
short of kicking the ball when Scott Player bobbled the snap, and
the Vikings took over on downs.
After Carter's touchdown put the Vikings up 31-7, MarTay Jenkins
return the kickoff 98 yards for a score with 3:30 left in the game,
the Cardinals' first such touchdown since Roy Green returned one in
1979.
Game notes
The Cardinals lost for the second time in their three
games under interim coach Dave McGinnis. ... The Vikings, last in
the NFL in takeaways, recovered two fumbles. ... Carter caught his
100th touchdown for the Vikings and his 13th against the Cardinals,
the most he has against any franchise. ... The Vikings have won
five in a row over the Cardinals since 1995, three of them by at
least 17 points.
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ALSO SEE
Arizona Clubhouse
Minnesota Clubhouse
Week 11 wrap-ups
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Robert Smith says the Vikings could play better.
wav: 136 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Randy Moss is only concerned with getting the win.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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