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Border Club news: Bills still have plenty to play for

By Rob Longley

BILLS NOT DONE:

Though their playoff hopes were dashed through the snow in Cleveland last week, the improved Buffalo Bills still have a thing or two to play for this season.

For starters, injured tight end Kevin Everett, who was thought to be paralyzed after his injury in the season opener, is expected to be at Ralph Wilson Stadium for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.

As well, the Bills could have a winning record for just the second time this decade with a pair of wins in their final two games.

The Bills could also put the Giants hopes on the ropes. A loss against Buffalo could force New York into a must-win over the Patriots the following week.

“We don't really care about being a spoiler - we just want to build around here,” safety Donte Whitner said. “Right now, we’re getting a sense of who we are and what we can do.”

PURPLE POWER

It was just six weeks ago that the Minnesota Vikings looked to be an improving team that was still at least a year away from playoff contention.

A 35-0 blowout loss to the Green Bay Packers was the catalyst for that opinion, especially since it all but eliminated the Vikes from the NFC North contention.

To make matters worse, superstar running back Adrian Peterson, who a week earlier had set an NFL record by piling up 296 yards against San Diego, suffered a mild tear to a knee ligament.

Five wins later and it is a much different tune in the Twin Cities as the Vikings can punch a playoff ticket by Sunday night.

A win over visiting Washington this Sunday combined with a loss or tie by New Orleans(which plays host to Philadelphia) would clinch a wild card berth.

A month and a half ago, such a scenario seemed next to impossible.

“You don’t like to play that way and it was not a happy locker room after that game, nor should it have been,” Vikings coach Brad Childress said, recalling the brutal loss to the Packers that many thought exposed the Vikings.

“I don’t think anybody in that room was particularly happy with how they portrayed themselves. It wasn’t just the offence. It wasn’t just the defence or special teams. It was all of us.”

Since then, the Vikings have went back to basics - as basic as football can get, actually - and worked on both running the football and stopping it.

As a result, with Peterson and backfield mate Chester Taylor pounding it, the Vikings lead the league in both run offence and defence.

It certainly makes for a tough task for the visiting Redskins (7-7), who need a win in Sunday night’s prime time game to keep their flickering playoff hopes alive.

“We’re facing Minnesota and it’s in their dome,” Washington coach Joe Gibbs said this week. “It’s going to be a tough deal four us.”

If the Vikings are going to first qualify for the post season and then do some damage once they get there, they will need some more consistency from quarterback Tarvaris Johnson.

The youngster may be 8-2 as a starter this year and passed for a career-high 249 in last week’s comeback win over the Chicago Bears, but he has also had a tendency to turn the ball over.

His three interceptions last week combined with a botched handoff to Peterson nearly cost the Bears and damaged their playoff hopes.

“I turned the football three or four times on Monday, but at the same time I didn't let it get to me,” he said. “I kind of just blocked that stuff out. I had a short memory and we kept fighting and we won the football game.”

Jackson and his teammates already have the memory part down - that loss to the Packers may as well be from another era.

BILLS NOT DONE:

Though their playoff hopes were dashed through the snow in Cleveland last week, the improved Buffalo Bills still have a thing or two to play for this season.

For starters, injured tight end Kevin Everett, who was thought to be paralyzed after his injury in the season opener, is expected to be at Ralph Wilson Stadium for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.

As well, the Bills could have a winning record for just the second time this decade with a pair of wins in their final two games.

The Bills could also put the Giants hopes on the ropes. A loss against Buffalo could force New York into a must-win over the Patriots the following week.

“We don't really care about being a spoiler - we just want to build around here,” safety Donte Whitner said. “Right now, we’re getting a sense of who we are and what we can do.”