Atlanta at Minnesota


Breaking down the Falcons and Vikings


Focal Point: Anderson vs. Vikings defense


'Dirty Birds' rewrite ugly history


Scouting report


Randall getting better with age


Murphy: Four on the floor


A final four to shout about

SUWANEE, Ga. -- Jamal Anderson strolled into the interview room at the Atlanta Falcons training complex Monday, gazed upon the assembled media and issued a stern warning.

	Falcons star Jamal Anderson has never lacked for confidence.

"I'm going to limit you to one question," he said.

Of course, it took about a millisecond before that familiar grin returned. Anderson was only kidding, and everyone knew it. Don't even try to shut him up this week, when he's got a chance to immerse himself in the spotlight of the NFC Championship Game.

"I'm glad you're here," Anderson told the reporters. "You're not going to bother me. I'd rather you be here than covering somebody else for the championship, so bother me all you want."

The All-Pro running back already has shouldered an inordinate load for the Falcons this season, setting an NFL record with 410 carries and a franchise mark with 1,846 yards rushing. If Atlanta is to beat the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Anderson likely will have to produce another of the 30-carry, 100-yard games that have become so routine this season.

Anderson knows that. The Vikings know that. Everyone knows that.

"Every team comes in with a goal to try to shut down our run," Anderson said. "We just have to be tough. We have to be competitive. It's a great challenge. It's an honor for me, really. I like when teams have to prepare to try to shut me down. That's what I thrive on."

Anderson has never been shy about touting his abilities. From the first day he reported to camp in 1994 as an obscure, seventh-round draft pick from Utah, he expected to some day be ranked among the game's best runners.

For some, that sort of attitude comes across as conceited. For those who are around him on a regular basis, his braggadocio is more charming than annoying.

He's like a nightclub comic whose act never shuts down. He's constantly going about the business of being Jamal, from his arm-flapping "Dirty Bird" end zone dance to his good-natured (though unsuccessful) campaign for MVP.

"People say Jamal is arrogant," safety Eugene Robinson said. "Jamal is just hungry, man. Every time he looks up, Barry Sanders is being mentioned, Terrell Davis is being mentioned, everybody's name is being mentioned but his.

"Now he's got a chance to say, 'Hey, you better reckon with me. I'm going to punish your defensive backs. I'm going to punish your linebackers. I'm going to make sure I'm the hardest guy you've ever had to tackle.' "

That he is. Anderson runs lows to the turf, transforming himself into a 5-foot-11, 234-pound bowling ball who appears to be nothing more than helmet, shoulder pads and knees. While lacking breakaway speed, he is deceptively quick.

"To combine the power he has with the quickness, well, there's not very many people that size who can make people miss," coach Dan Reeves said. "And when he does get tackled, he's hard to bring down. He's got such a low center of gravity."

The only team to beat the explosive Vikings controlled the clock and dominated with the running game. Tampa Bay rushed for a team-record 246 yards in its 27-24 victory over Minnesota more than two months ago.

The Anderson-led Falcons are capable of that type of performance. They led the NFL in time of possession and held the ball for more than 32 minutes in a 20-18 playoff victory over San Francisco last weekend.

"Can we beat Minnesota? Oh, I think anybody can be beaten," Anderson said. "There's no doubt in my mind we're capable of beating them. Obviously, we have to play well, really well. They have a great team. ... For us to beat them, we have to do what we do best, and that's play our style of football. If we do that, then I think we can beat them."

Anderson expects to be a marked man against the Vikings, which doesn't bother him a bit.

"Guys are getting fired up, saying they're going to shut you down. That's fine," he said. "But when they kick off the ball, I'm going to be there, and my dance will be there, and I'm going to be ready. That's what I like."

Next question.