Vikings Lead Increases On Their Off Week

The Minnesota Vikings had their lead in the NFC North go up to three full games today, and they didn't even take the field, as it is their off-week.

The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers both lost. Chicago was routed by the Arizona Cardinals at home, 41-21, and Green Bay blew an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter at Tampa Bay, as the Bucs, wearing their throwback uniforms from their bad old days, won for the first time this season, 38-28 at Tampa.

Thanks Cards. Thanks Bucs.

The Vikings are 7-1 and both the Bears and Packers are 4-4. The Vikes are done with Green Bay, but they still have two games with Chicago, so their chances are are better to catch the Vikings.

Does football have a Magic Number? I've never heard of one, but if there was one, it would be 6 for the Vikings to repeat as NFC North champions.

Also, I was watching the Patriots-Dolphins game from Foxboro this afternoon, and at 4:13 PM they had to leave the game, as the Giants game had to be shown from the start here in the local New York market. Fair enough. But CBS never goes directly to the second game, they have to go to two minutes of bloody commercials before the next game begins.

I remember last year there was a game they left as one team (don't recall who exactly) was lining up for a field goal to tie in the final seconds, but CBS bailed on it so they could show two more minutes of commercials before going to the local team's game. Today they were fortunate the Patriots were up by 10 points in final 30 seconds, so the outcome wasn't in doubt.

Anything for a buck.