Vikings wary of being picked No. 1

Last in a series

MANKATO, Minn. It isn't hard to remember the last time somebodywrote off the Vikings.

It was on the morning of Jan. 3, this year, when columnists onboth sides of the Mississippi - in Minneapolis and St. Paul, that is- said the Vikes should end the charade and not bother to take thefield against New Orleans.

The basic complaint was that Minnesota had backed into theplayoffs, losing three of its last four to wind up a truly wild-card8-7.

But the Vikes walloped New Orleans 44-10 that afternoon andstunned San Francisco 36-24 before almost taking Washington intoovertime in a 17-10 loss.

And now, the Vikings must live up to …