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MINNEAPOLIS -- Robert Smith is the speedy runner with the long, graceful stride. Leroy Hoard is the strongman who steamrolls defenders with little finesse.

	Leroy Hoard says it's easy to score a lot of touchdowns when you're the Vikings' short-yardage back.

Both took home a postseason record for the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Smith ran for 124 yards and Hoard scored three touchdowns -- both Vikings playoff records -- as Minnesota crushed Arizona 41-21 to advance to the NFC Championship Game next Sunday at the Metrodome against the Atlanta Falcons.

"I guess it helps when you're always on the 1-yard line and you're the short yardage back," said Hoard, who scored the first touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run. He later added scores on a 16-yard pass from Randall Cunningham and on a 6-yard run.

"They ask me to go in when the ball is inside the 10, so that automatically puts me in a good position to score," he said. "That's my job on this team."

Hoard, who gained 44 yards on 11 carries, became the first Vikings player to score three touchdowns in a playoff game. He also became the first Minnesota player to have both a rushing and a receiving touchdown in a postseason game.

"It's an honor when you think about who has played here," he said. "Running backs like Chuck Foreman and Dave Osborne and receivers like Cris Carter and Ahmad Rashad. Those are all great names in Vikings history."

Smith, who broke Foreman's playoff record of 118 yards set in 1976 against the Los Angeles Rams, carried 19 times and averaged 6.5 yards per carry.

"We know our roles," Smith said. "Leroy doesn't get upset with me for getting most of the yards and the carries, and I don't get upset when he scores touchdowns. I just don't care who scores the touchdowns as long as we win."

Smith gained 1,187 yards during the regular season and scored eight touchdowns, while Hoard had 479 yards and 10 TDs.

Both, Hoard says, are happy when the other does well.

"We joke about it," Hoard said. "He'll run 70 yards to the 10- or 5-yard line, and then I get to go in and score the touchdown."

Smith is known for his ability to break long gainers. Hoard, at 225 pounds, is more of a grinder.

"We're as different as two backs can be," Smith said. "I'm 6-2 and can hurt you with speed. He's what, 5-2 or 5-3? He comes in and pounds it. The bottom line is, we're both effective and we both help win games."

Hoard laughed when told of Smith's assessment of the two players' running styles.

"I wish I could run like Robert," Hoard said. "I fight for 4 or 5 or 6 yards, and then he comes back in and stretches it out. I'm just in there to give him a break."

Hoard was asked if he has ever played for a better offensive team than the 1998 Vikings, which set the NFL record with 556 points this season.

"I don't think anybody in this room can say that," he said.

Minnesota piled up 416 net yards against the Cardinals, 188 on the ground, and didn't have to rely on the famed passing game built around Cunningham, Carter and super rookie Randy Moss.

With a 16-1 record, the Vikings are a balanced, potent offensive with no apparent weakness. But Hoard issued a word of caution about talk that the Vikings appear unstoppable.

"Anybody can be stopped," he said. "A couple weeks ago they said Denver couldn't be stopped, and Terrell Davis had 29 yards rushing."

Then Hoard smiled.

"But I'm glad I'm not the one who has to figure out a way to stop this team."