Atlanta at Minnesota


Playoff roster


Depth chart


Statistics


Playoff history

This has been a charmed season for the Vikings. Every move they made turned out better than expected, a big reason they're 15-1 and considered the team to beat in the NFC.

Quarterback Brad Johnson got hurt and reclamation project Randall Cunningham had an MVP-caliber year in his place.

The Vikings drafted wide receiver Randy Moss after 20 teams passed on him, and he's turned their offense into the league's most explosive unit. They traded for cornerback Jimmy Hitchcock as a draft-day afterthought and he intercepted seven passes.

	Randall Cunningham, who was out of the NFL in 1996, is one of the favorites to win the MVP award.

With that kind of track record, no wonder most people expect coach Dennis Green's juggernaut to just keep rolling through the NFC playoffs and become the first dome team to reach the Super Bowl. Injuries were a problem late, but everyone seems to be getting healthy just in time for the final push. The crowd noise, some of it amplified, makes the cozy Metrodome one of the league's toughest places to play.

Offense
Although they finished second to the 49ers in total yards, the Vikings were the highest-scoring team in NFL history. They have an embarrassment of riches on offense. ... At quarterback, Cunningham led the NFL in passing rating and Johnson is healthy again. Cunningham's ability to throw the deep ball is perfect for coordinator Brian Billick's offense. ... At running back, Robert Smith is the NFL's best breakaway threat and Leroy Hoard gets the tough yards. When Smith is healthy, the Vikings rarely lose. ... At wide receiver, Moss is the NFL's best deep threat. He and Cris Carter will be rejoined by Jake Reed for the playoffs. They were an unstoppable threesome until Reed got hurt just after midseason. ... To top it all off, the Vikings have the NFL's best offensive line. They're big and mean and experienced. ... No team in the league is better than the Vikings on third and fourth down.

Defense
This is a typical Vikings defense, only better. They're small and quick, and the best way to beat them is to run right at them, which is what the Buccaneers did in handing Minnesota its only loss. ... Tackle/end John Randle is the only big-time playmaker on the line, but nose tackle Jerry Ball has given the Vikings what Gilbert Brown gave the Packers two years ago. He keeps the offensive linemen away from speedy linebackers Ed McDaniel and Dwayne Rudd. ... Hitchcock, who returned three interceptions for touchdowns, and safety Robert Griffith lead a secondary that gives up its share of yards but doesn't get beat deep as much as it used to.

Special teams
The specialists are as good as it gets. Kicker Gary Anderson didn't miss a field goal or extra point all season and set an NFL record by scoring 164 points. Mitch Berger's powerful leg is a weapon both punting and kicking off, especially in the Vikings' climate-controlled dome. ... Return man David Palmer is much better than his statistics indicate. ... The coverage teams are the weakest area of the squad.

Tom Oates, who covers the Packers for the Wisconsin State Journal, writes a weekly NFC column that appears every Thursday on ESPN.com.