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Goal for Redskins: Stop Vikings

Dec 23, 2007 - 11:22 AM Washington (7-7) at Minnesota (8-6) 8:15 pm EST

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- The Minnesota Vikings have the inside track on the final NFC playoff spot. The Washington Redskins would like to change that.

The surging Vikings seek their sixth consecutive victory when they host to the Redskins on Sunday.

Minnesota holds a one-game lead over the Redskins and New Orleans Saints for the second wild card berth in the NFC and can eliminate Washington with a victory Sunday.

Of course, the Redskins have been in this position the past two weeks but showed their resiliency with back-to-back gutty wins over the Chicago Bears and New York Giants.

Washington's postseason hopes appeared over following an emotional 17-16 loss to the Buffalo Bills on December 2 - a game that came five days after the shooting death of Pro Bowl safety Sean Taylor.

Instead, three days after Taylor's funeral, the Redskins beat the Bears, 24-16, and followed that up with a 22-10 road victory over the Giants last weekend.

Clinton Portis rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries as Washington denied the Giants' bid to wrap up their own playoff slot.

"The last two weeks I felt like was a huge deal for us," Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said. "Chicago, had to have it. That was kind of like a playoff game. The Giants needed it, so that was a big deal too. I'm really proud of our guys."

With starting quarterback Jason Campbell out with a dislocated kneecap, backup Todd Collins made his first start in 10 years - a record for the longest span between starts since the 1970 AFC-NFC merger.

Collins completed 8-of-25 passes for 166 yards in swirling winds and will get the start against Minnesota.

The Redskins will need a similar effort to slow down the Vikings, who made it five straight wins by rallying for a 20-13 victory over the Chicago Bears.

Rookie Adrian Peterson rushed for 78 yards and a pair of second-half touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 10:56 left to play for the Vikings.

Rebounding from a 14-carry, three-yard performance the previous week, Peterson helped offset a dismal performance by quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, who threw for 249 yards but was intercepted three times.

Minnesota can clinch a playoff berth with a victory and a loss by New Orleans, which is home to Philadelphia earlier on Sunday.