Vikings owner Zygi Wilf clapped nervously as he stood on the sideline Sunday awaiting Ryan Longwell's 50-yard field-goal attempt with five seconds left in regulation and his team trailing by two. "I was just praying for that to go through," Wilf said.
And when it did, when the Vikings had a 20-19 victory over the New York Giants that gave them their first NFC North title and first playoff berth since the 2004 season, Wilf let loose. Hugs were exchanged with anyone in the vicinity.
"It's as good as it gets," Wilf said. "I'm just glad that we took care of business the way we did."
Houston's 31-24 victory over the Bears -- a score that coach Brad Childress made sure was not shown in the Metrodome -- would have enabled the Vikings to back into the postseason, and it appeared that might happen when the Giants took a 19-10 lead in the fourth quarter.
But the Vikings rallied when Tarvaris Jackson hit Bernard Berrian for a 54-yard touchdown with 9 minutes 26 seconds left, and then Longwell made the winner.
"[We] had to earn it, as it should be, and that makes it that much sweeter," Childress said.
The Giants sat four injured starters and began pulling more regulars in the second half. The Giants, who clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC last weekend, used David Carr at quarterback for the final two quarters.
