Arizona at Minnesota


Vikings loose, ready as preparation intensifies

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- By the standards that used to mean a lot to Cris Carter, this has been a disappointing season. His worst since 1992, in fact.

	Cris Carter gladly sacrificed personal stats for team success this season.

He has fewer catches, fewer yards and, ever so slightly, less of a role in the Minnesota Vikings' offense.

And he's as happy as he's ever been.

"As an offense and with all the personnel we have, we knew that sacrifices would have to take place," Carter said Wednesday. "And (offensive coordinator) Brian (Billick) and I talked about it even before the season started. I understood that. I realized my role has changed somewhat. I'm very happy with my role, and so are the other guys."

Carter wouldn't always have taken such a circumspect view. A fierce competitor, he has become well-known for occasional on-field outbursts when the Vikings' offense has sputtered. Or, more specifically, when it has sputtered while trying to get the ball to other people.

But that was in other seasons, with other objectives. Carter has amassed more individual accomplishments over the years than most receivers in NFL history. What he doesn't have in the twilight of his superlative career is a championship, and he knew from the start this would be his best chance.

He was right, and there has been nothing for any of the Vikings to complain about this season, especially on offense. They broke the NFL season scoring record and their 15-1 record was the NFL's best during the regular season. They are 15-point favorites to beat Arizona (10-7) on Sunday and advance to the NFC championship game for the first time since 1987.

And although his numbers are down -- 78 catches for 1,011 yards and 12 TDs -- Carter still has been a key figure in Minnesota's success even though he has been bothered most of the season by a sore calf. He also was voted to his sixth straight Pro Bowl.

"There is a new level of expectation, and with Cris missing one game (Chicago on Dec. 6) and being hurt it's really showed what kind of character he has," said quarterback Randall Cunningham, who has thrown 32 TD passes to Carter during their time together in Philadelphia and Minnesota. "Cris has now gotten to a point in his life where he really appreciates everything he's doing.

"He still works hard. He's just an excellent player, one of the great players in the league."

The numbers bear that out.

Carter's 834 receptions are fourth on the NFL's career list, and his 101 TD catches are second to Jerry Rice (163). He owns nearly every significant Vikings receiving record, including catches, yards (8,997) and TDs (82).

He doesn't have the one thing that would matter most, though. Matching the most regular-season victories in NFL history hasn't filled the void.

"It's not the best payoff," Carter said when asked if the 15-1 record was the best payoff for his season of sacrifice.

Billick has felt the sharpest sting of Carter's temper over the years. A cerebral coordinator who was criticized early in his tenure for trying too hard at times to force diversity on the Vikings' offense, Billick and Carter have clashed through the years.

The last display, a sideline blowup against the New York Jets last season, helped the Vikings decide to bump Billick and defensive coordinator Foge Fazio up to the press box for the season's final five games.

The coordinators have been back on the sideline this season, and all has been harmonious.

Billick points to a training camp moment before the 1997 season that signaled, for the most part, a more understanding relationship with Carter.

"He goes, 'You know, Brian, whether you realize it or not, you and I are married. And neither one of us is going any place. There is no divorce here,' " Billick said. "And that meant a lot to me."

Knowing what was coming this season after the Vikings drafted receiver Randy Moss in April, Billick and Carter sat down during training camp to talk, as they usually do before each season. This time, Billick had mapped out what he envisioned as the statistics each offensive player would put up this fall, just to show Carter what he would gain in team success by giving up some of his own production.

"I mean, you look at it now, it's amazing how scary we were," Billick said. "And I mainly did that for him to see in black and white what I thought those numbers were going to be. But he was OK with that, and he would be as long as we're producing.

"Because he is so confident in what he does that he recognizes that if we're not (producing), 'Get it to me and I will.' And I think it's important people understand that."