Vikes Look Merry During December

It isn’t the weather that makes the Minnesota Vikings so tough to beat in December, not with the Metrodome blocking out the sub-zero wind chills.

It isn’t that they’re particularly healthy, either, not with all the injuries they’ve faced this season. But December still belongs to the Vikings, and the Cleveland Browns couldn’t do anything about it Saturday.

Backup running back Charles Evans scored the first two touchdowns of his NFL career and rookie Orlando Thomas led a swarming defense with two interceptions in Minnesota’s 27-11 victory, its fifth in six games.

“That’s what they remember, how you do in December,” said running back Scottie Graham, another backup who gained 77 yards on 18 carries. “That’s how teams get to the playoffs.”

That’s how the Vikings (8-6) have gotten to the playoffs each of the last three years, and that’s how they’ll have to do it again this year.

With coach Dennis Green emphasizing the late-season push, Minnesota is 11-4 in the final month of the regular season during Green’s four seasons. Only San Francisco has a better December record during that time (10-3), and those two teams play Dec. 18 on the West Coast.

With a 3-5 record in their division, the Vikings probably cannot afford to lose to San Francisco or at Cincinnati if they hope to make Green the fifth coach in NFL history to reach the playoffs each of his first four seasons.

“When you’re playing well, you don’t really care who you play,” said quarterback Warren Moon, moving gingerly with bruised ribs after the game. “The 49ers are so good that you don’t want to play them at this time of year, but we’re playing well enough right now that I think we can play with them.”

Thoughts of big games and the playoffs faded long ago for the Browns (4-10), seemingly demoralized by owner Art Modell’s attempt to move the franchise to Baltimore. Cleveland lost its sixth consecutive game and its ninth in the last 10.

“It’s a shame, with everything that’s happened to them mentally and psychologically, it’s kind of destroyed them,” Moon said. “They really bring it out there, and they played hard for awhile. But you could just see, after a certain point when they felt like they didn’t have a chance to win, it just wasn’t there anymore.”

Moon was to have X-rays on his ribs today.”I could have played longer if I needed to,” he said. “But when we went up 20-3 they thought it was best to get me out of there. It was more of a cautious move.”

“Playoff teams rise in December,” Vikings guard John Gerak said. “If you can play your best football going into the playoffs, it bodes well as far as continuing on in the playoffs. Denny Green prepares this team. He knows that December’s the time to elevate your game.”

The Browns also lost quarterback Vinny Testaverde with a pulled groin and bruised hip at end of the first quarter, and rookie Eric Zeier played poorly in his place.

The Browns may be down to the final two games of their 50-year stay in Cleveland - if the Ohio courts let them leave.

“It has to be an inward quest to find out what’s really happening,” running back Ernest Byner said. “We have to find out what’s wrong, what we need to do to win these games. We can point to a lot of things, but each man has to look within himself.”

Vikings 27, Browns 11

Cleveland 0 3 0 8 - 11

Minnesota 3 10 7 7 - 27

First quarter Min-FG Reveiz 23, 7:51. Second quarter Min-Evans 1 pass from Moon (Reveiz kick), :49. Cle-FG Stover 26, 7:50. Min-FG Reveiz 28, 12:40. Third quarter Min-Reed 8 pass from Moon (Reveiz kick), 9:17. Fourth quarter Min-Evans 2 run (Reveiz kick), 2:01. Cle-Byner 29 pass to Zeier (Zeier run), 5:23. A-47,984.

Cle Min First downs 10 26 Rushes-yards 13-29 39-111 Passing 172 325 Punt Returns 2-18 2-22 Kickoff Returns 6-119 2-15 Interceptions Ret. 2-36 4-12 Comp-Att-Int 15-28-4 29-40-2 Sacked-Yards Lost 5-36 2-14 Punts 4-49 2-47 Fumbles-Lost 3-0 2-0 Penalties-Yards 8-76 7-47 Time of Possession 20:13 39:47

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING - Cleveland, Byner 3-11, White 8-9, Tupa 1-9, Testaverde 1-0. Minnesota, Graham 18-77, Evans 10-22, Phillips 6-10, Palmer 2-6, Moon 3-(minus 4).

PASSING - Cleveland, Zeier 10-22-4-154, Testaverde 5-6-0-54. Minnesota, Moon 20-29-1-267, B.Johnson 9-11-1-72.

RECEIVING - Cleveland, M.Jackson 3-45, Byner 3-40, McCardell 3-23, Alexander 2-31, Rison 1-49, Kinchen 1-10, Bishop 1-9, White 1-1. Minnesota, Carter 8-124, Ismail 6-70, Evans 6-20, Reed 4-91, Graham 2-13, DeLong 2-12, Lee 1-9.

MISSED FIELD GOAL - Minnesota, Reveiz 50.