Ah, the irony

All the Bears fans holding their breath, and hoping for the Packers -- the Packers -- to win.

And the Vikings pulled it off

I'm mildly amazed. They had an easy schedule for the first half of the season, and went 4-4, IIRC. But they managed to win just enough games to get the very final wild card slot.

Which means, if I understand things correctly, that they'll be playing the Packers in next week's wild card game. I assume the Packers will be out for blood. I'm hopeful, but not particularly optimistic.

I've been saying all year that the Vikings need a new quarterback. But maybe, just maybe, Christian Ponder just needed enough time to develop. He hasn't looked outstanding the last few games, but he's managed to look competent, with occasional flashes of excellence, like that long completion this game. And of course I can't say enough about Adrian Peterson and Blair Walsh. I'm sorry Adrian Peterson didn't get the record (by 9 yards!), but I'm very glad that the game didn't go into overtime, even if it would have given him the chance to do so.

(I don't have a Vikings userpic, so instead you get the other team that breaks my heart regularly.)