Friday, December 27, 1996

Vikings know where to find the beef

By RON LESKO / Associated Press (Dec. 27, 1996)

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - Big bodies mean big problems for the Minnesota Vikings defense, and they'll have to get around the biggest bodies of them all to have a chance to get past the Dallas Cowboys.

More than 1,600 pounds of offensive linemen await the Vikings when they visit Dallas on Saturday. Facing the most formidable line in the NFL will be a tough way for the Vikings to open the playoffs after getting steamrolled in Green Bay last weekend.

"Last week was not one our best efforts, that's clear cut," coach Dennis Green said Thursday. "We've had our problems with these type of linemen before, so we understand what their parameters are and what it's going to take for us to get it done. A big part of it is that they just can't be on the field."

Nate Newton, Larry Allen and Co. have struggled this season clearing the way for Emmitt Smith. The Dallas offense has produced just five touchdowns in the last six games, and its traditionally awesome ground game finished the regular season ranked only 18th.

Yet four of the Cowboys' five linemen are headed for the Pro Bowl, and Smith still is among the league's most dangerous backs even though he had an "off" year with 1,204 yards and 15 TDs.

"We're solid, but we've struggled all year trying to get ourselves together," Newton said. "But everybody's much more intense and focused now. It's a one-game deal with our backs to the wall."

The Vikings, whose defense is based on speed instead of size, ranked just 24th against the run this season. That included the 233 yards Green Bay had in last Sunday's 38-10 win, a performance that left defensive coordinator Foge Fazio spewing profanities after the game.

Fazio was more composed discussing Green Bay on Thursday.

"We didn't play very well and we know it," he said. "We were too anxious, we made some silly mistakes, we guessed, we got out of whack, we lost our composure."

Do that in Dallas and the Cowboys, who are favored by 11 points, almost certainly will have an easy path into the divisional round of the playoffs.

But if the Vikings can establish their own ground game they will be able to keep the Dallas offense off the field. That, more than the performance of the defense, is the key to stopping the Cowboys.

"A good offensive day keeps Emmitt on the sideline, keeps their big offensive line on the sideline and keeps our defense fresh so when they are on the field they can go all out," Green said. "So that's going to be crucial."

The Vikings also will be back on artificial turf, their favored surface, after getting pushed around on the grass at Lambeau Field. Minnesota's speed is much more effective on artificial turf, as evidenced by the 79 yards they allowed at the Metrodome in a loss to Denver.

That was the second-lowest total of the season for the Broncos, who led the NFL in rushing yardage.

"We have to control their front linemen," said linebacker Dixon Edwards, a former Cowboy who will try to play Saturday despite a sprained left knee. "Their linemen are the key to their running game. Emmitt's a great back, also, but if you control their linemen, require a lot of double teams with our defensive tackles, I think we'll be able to stop them."