Surprising T-Jack leads to win with four TD passes on only eleven completions

Where was this in the first two weeks of the season?

Tavaris Jackson, bench after two losses this season, had four TD passes (two of them over 40 yards) to led Minnesota to a not-so-surprising win over the playoff-bound Arizona Cardinals. Jackson went 11-for-17 with 163 yard with no picks or fumbles. He was sacked three times but also had three carries for three yards, all of them for one yard, avoiding other potential sacks. This was the kind of spark the Vikings haven't had since Dante Culpepper had his MVP-caliber season--only to be upstaged by record-setting QB Peyton Manning.

Now that I've given credit where it is due, we have to look at the obvious: Arizona isn't really worthy of a playoff spot. The Cardinals, who could have clinched a playoff berth in Week 12, finally locked up a spot in Week 14 but came out flat against a team who knows they have a tough schedule but the inside track to the playoffs.

This tells us two things: 1) Minnesota also have the inside track to the third seed in the playoffs; and 2) that Arizona can put up points but is not as good as its, gasp, 8-6 record would indicate. Keep in mind its division rivals--San Francisco, Seattle, and St. Louis--have a combined 10 wins and 32 losses. Five of Arizona's wins have come against its division.

But, the highpoint is that the Vikings have won four straight, three of them double digits with two of the double-digit victories on the road. This is important because two games at home then a home playoff game the team would find themselves booking plane tickets for any games after that (saving many NFC playoff upsets).

Personally, I'm coming around on this team. Adrian Peterson had 165 rushing yards and didn't find the end zone leaving Jackson to play Atlas and shoulder the load. Jackson might have had less passing yards then AP had on the ground, but each pass was important and found its target at just the right times. I'm not sure the musical QB for Minnesota is a good thing but to have a QB to possibly take charge when the opposition is puting eight men in the box makes the Vikings go from playoff hopeful to NFC champion contender.

Expect more from me this week as the Vikings play the surprise Falcons, Detroit play Green Bay in what could decide if Minnesota get into the playoffs or not, and an update on my power rankings for the NFC.