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Vikings pull off shocker

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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Minnesota's Antoine Winfield tackled Michael Vick during last night's 24-14 victory by the Vikings.

PHILADELPHIA >> Considering everything else the Minnesota Vikings have endured this season, it was silly to think two extra days sitting around a hotel room would bring ’em down.

No way a determined rookie quarterback named Joe Webb was going to let that happen.

Webb threw for 195 yards and ran for a touchdown in his first career start filling in for an injured Brett Favre, and the lowly Vikings stunned Michael Vick and the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles 24-14 in the NFL’s first Tuesday game since 1946.

"It was a big win, especially with what we have gone through," Webb said. "It was a long trip for us and to get a win against the Eagles, we are trying to finish the season on a high note."

Adrian Peterson ran for 118 yards and a score, helping the 14-point underdogs knock Philadelphia out of contention for a first-round playoff bye.

The Eagles (10-5) could’ve secured a first-round bye with a victory over the Vikings (6-9) and Dallas and with a loss by either Chicago or Atlanta next week.

"We don’t deserve it after that performance," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "Every phase was terrible. We didn’t coach well enough. We didn’t play well enough. I’m disappointed in myself. It’s embarrassing."

Now the Eagles are locked into the NFC’s No. 3 seed and will host the No. 6 seed on Jan. 8 or 9. Their final game against the Cowboys is meaningless in the standings, so it’s likely Vick and most of the starters will rest.

Two days after a winter storm forced a postponement, there wasn’t even a snowflake visible at the Linc. The game was switched from Sunday because of a howling storm that dumped about a foot of snow in the area—perhaps a good idea considering Philadelphia’s history of snowball-throwing fans.

But 42 years after fans got a bum rap for tossing snowballs at Santa—the man in the costume said it was playful pelting—the Eagles said snowballs didn’t factor in the decision to move the game.

"There were a lot of issues considered, but that was absolutely not among them," said Pamela Browner White, the Eagles senior vice president of public affairs and government relations.

Nine days after rallying from a 21-point deficit in the final 7:18 to beat the New York Giants on DeSean Jackson’s 65-yard punt return on the final play, there would be no miracle at the Linc for the Eagles.

The Vikings looked more like a team with a lot at stake rather than a group that’s ready to start a vacation. The win could help interim coach Leslie Frazier get the job permanently.

"It was a great effort by our players to battle the way that they had to all week and they showed perseverance that has become the hallmark of our team over the last few weeks," Frazier said. "I can’t say enough about our players and the attitude they showed this week and I’m glad they were rewarded for it."

This has been a miserable season for the Vikings, who nearly reached the Super Bowl last year. They’ve endured numerous injuries, an ongoing Favre saga, the firing of head coach Brad Childress and the collapse of their stadium.

Vick, selected as the NFC Pro Bowl starter shortly before the game, mostly struggled after his 3-yard TD pass to Clay Harbor in the first quarter gave the Eagles a 7-0 lead. He lost two fumbles, threw an interception and was sacked six times.

Vick has been battered in recent games and he looked gimpy, gingerly walking to the huddle and off the field most of the night. Vick suffered a quad contusion on the first play of the game.

"I just tried to tolerate it throughout the game and I did. I have a strong will to win and I’ll do anything to win a football game. I just tried to go out and get through it."

Trailing 17-7 to start the fourth quarter, the Eagles cut the deficit to 3 when Vick scored on a 10-yard TD run. But the Vikings answered on the ensuing drive. Peterson ran in from the 1 to put Minnesota up 24-14 with 6:43 left. The Pro Bowl running back showed no signs of the right knee injury that had him listed as questionable.

Favre was inactive for the Vikings because of a concussion, missing his second game in three weeks after an NFL-record 297 consecutive regular-season starts.

He watched in street clothes on the sideline and enthusiastically thrust his arms in the air when Webb scored a TD.

The 41-year-old Favre got hurt last week against the Chicago Bears and was listed as doubtful. Frazier said on Monday that Favre still hadn’t passed initial concussion testing.

With the way Webb played, the Vikings didn’t need Favre.

"He came out and did his job and did it well," Peterson said.

Minnesota had a touchdown overturned on the opening possession of the second half. Webb’s 2-yard TD toss to Sidney Rice was reversed when replays showed the ball was juggled out of bounds. Juqua Parker sacked Webb on the next play and the Vikings settled for Ryan Longwell’s 30-yard field goal that put them up 10-7.

Vikings 24, Eagles 14

Minnesota 0 7 10 7 24
Philadelphia 7 0 0 7 14

First Quarter
Phi–Harbor 3 pass from Vick (Akers kick), 7:42.
Second Quarter
Min–Winfield 45 fumble return (Longwell kick), :44.
Third Quarter
Min–FG Longwell 30, 12:24.
Min–Webb 9 run (Longwell kick), 7:03.
Fourth Quarter
Phi–Vick 10 run (Akers kick), 10:17.
Min–Peterson 1 run (Longwell kick), 6:43.
A–69,144.

    Min   Phi
First downs   21   24
Total Net Yards   337   331
Rushes-yards   31-161   22-107
Passing   176   224
Punt Returns   2-8   1-9
Kickoff Returns   1-27   4-66
Interceptions Ret.   1-0   0-0
Comp-Att-Int   17-26-0   25-43-1
Sacked-Yards Lost   2-19   6-39
Punts   6-38.7   5-42.8
Fumbles-Lost   1-1   2-2
Penalties-Yards   5-74   12-62
Time of Possession   30:21   29:39

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHINGMinnesota, Peterson 22-118, Webb 6-31, Harvin 2-6, Gerhart 1-6. Philadelphia, Vick 8-63, McCoy 13-44, D.Jackson 1-0.

PASSINGMinnesota, Webb 17-26-0-195. Philadelphia, Vick 25-43-1-263.

RECEIVINGMinnesota, Harvin 7-100, Shiancoe 3-32, Berrian 2-16, Rice 1-16, Peterson 1-11, Tahi 1-11, Booker 1-6, Kleinsasser 1-3. Philadelphia, Celek 10-97, Maclin 6-74, McCoy 4-41, D.Jackson 2-32, Avant 2-16, Harbor 1-3.

MISSED FIELD GOALSPhiladelphia, Akers 54 (SH).

 

AMERICAN CONFERENCE

East
  W L T Pct PF PA
y-New England 13 2 0 .867 480 306
x-N.Y. Jets 10 5 0 .667 329 297
Miami 7 8 0 .467 266 295
Buffalo 4 11 0 .267 276 387
South
  W L T Pct PF PA
Indianapolis 9 6 0 .600 412 368
Jacksonville 8 7 0 .533 336 385
Tennessee 6 9 0 .400 336 316
Houston 5 10 0 .333 356 410
North
  W L T Pct PF PA
x-Pittsburgh 11 4 0 .733 334 223
x-Baltimore 11 4 0 .733 344 263
Cleveland 5 10 0 .333 262 291
Cincinnati 4 11 0 .267 315 382
West
  W L T Pct PF PA
y-Kansas City 10 5 0 .667 356 295
San Diego 8 7 0 .533 408 294
Oakland 7 8 0 .467 379 361
Denver 4 11 0 .267 316 438

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

East
  W L T Pct PF PA
y-Philadelphia 10 5 0 .667 426 363
N.Y. Giants 9 6 0 .600 377 333
Washington 6 9 0 .400 288 360
Dallas 5 10 0 .333 380 423
South
  W L T Pct PF PA
x-Atlanta 12 3 0 .800 383 278
x-New Orleans 11 4 0 .733 371 284
Tampa Bay 9 6 0 .600 318 305
Carolina 2 13 0 .133 186 377
North
  W L T Pct PF PA
y-Chicago 11 4 0 .733 331 276
Green Bay 9 6 0 .600 378 237
Minnesota 6 9 0 .400 268 328
Detroit 5 10 0 .333 342 356
West
  W L T Pct PF PA
St. Louis 7 8 0 .467 283 312
Seattle 6 9 0 .400 294 401
San Francisco 5 10 0 .333 267 339
Arizona 5 10 0 .333 282 396

x-clinched playoff spot
y-clinched division

Thursday
Pittsburgh 27, Carolina 3

Saturday
Arizona 27, Dallas 26

Sunday
Kansas City 34, Tennessee 14
St. Louis 25, San Francisco 17
Chicago 38, N.Y. Jets 34
Baltimore 20, Cleveland 10
New England 34, Buffalo 3
Detroit 34, Miami 27
Washington 20, Jacksonville 17, OT
Indianapolis 31, Oakland 26
Denver 24, Houston 23
Cincinnati 34, San Diego 20
Green Bay 45, N.Y. Giants 17
Tampa Bay 38, Seattle 15

Monday
New Orleans 17, Atlanta 14

Yesterday
Minnesota 24, Philadelphia 14

Sunday
Oakland at Kansas City, 8 a.m.
Tampa Bay at New Orleans, 8 a.m.
Miami at New England, 8 a.m.
Minnesota at Detroit, 8 a.m.
Carolina at Atlanta, 8 a.m.
Pittsburgh at Cleveland, 8 a.m.
Buffalo at N.Y. Jets, 8 a.m.
Cincinnati at Baltimore, 8 a.m.
Arizona at San Francisco, 11:15 a.m.
San Diego at Denver, 11:15 a.m.
Chicago at Green Bay, 11:15 a.m.
Jacksonville at Houston, 11:15 a.m.
N.Y. Giants at Washington, 11:15 a.m.
Dallas at Philadelphia, 11:15 a.m.
Tennessee at Indianapolis, 11:15 a.m.
St. Louis at Seattle, 3:20 p.m.

 

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