We just can't figure out why everyone is so upset this morning. The Vikings are NFC NORTH DIVISION CHAMPS!!! That distinction was earned fair and square yesterday in a magnificent game featuring tons of offense and drama!!! So why all the gloom and doom this morning?

Wait, don't tell us you're still upset about last night's minor setback in Carolina. Seriously? You're going to let a little 19-point loss to a going-nowhere Panthers team playing without its starting QB and starting RB ruin the celebration of a DIVISION TITLE? It's like we hardly even know you anymore.

Oh, so now you want to nitpick about the frightening situation that developed at quarterback last night? You know, when Brad Childress apparently wanted to pull MVP candidate Brett Favre from the game, perhaps for his own protection and perhaps for performance? And that was, you know, when the Vikings were leading 7-6? And how Favre trumped Childress and stayed in the game? And how that raises questions about Childress' faith in Favre, Childress' authority, Favre's performance, the offensive line and the relationship between QB and coach? You didn't think that was UPROARIOUSLY FUNNY and a nice comic subplot to the real story of the DIVISION TITLE? Wow, what game were you watching?

We don't suppose you can let the Bryant McKinnie game go, can you? Typical. You're concerned that Julius Peppers looked like he was driving a motorcycle through the Vikings' offensive line. You're worried that the too often Minnesota's tackles were left to fend for themselves, and that even when they got some tight end help they couldn't stop Peppers. You're worried about how that might work out against someone like Trent Cole? You're worried because McKinnie was benched? You heard the Vikings signed the guy in the picture to play tackle? Oh, now that's just low.

Wow. Now you bring up the running game. We can already hear you nitpicking about how Sunday night in chilly weather on a shoddy field against one of the league's worst rushing defenses was the perfect time to pound the ball and establish the ground game that will be essential in the playoffs. What's that? You nearly punched a hole in the wall when you found out Adrian Peterson finished with 12 carries in a game that was nip-and-tuck for three quarters? Sorry, what? You heard Peterson thought it was a Monday night game and didn't realize he was supposed to be in Charlotte until early Sunday afternoon, then drove from Minneapolis to North Carolina in 6 hours, only to realize he missed almost the whole thing? And that he was driving the offensive line and several other players? Oh, that's very funny. Some people wouldn't talk like that about an NFC NORTH CHAMPION, but apparently you would.

So what, now it's big-picture? After a season of calm and relative bliss, you're suddenly afraid of so many things? You're worried that a shot at the No. 1 seed is now a tenuous grip on the No. 2 seed? You picture Minnesota losing one of these final two games and having to play a cold-weather game in Philadelphia, should the Vikings be able to make it that far? You worry that the team which hadn't played a bad game in its first 11 has now put up two absolute clunkers in its past three, and that those eggs can be laid again at any time -- even in the playoffs? You worry that Favre has a recent history of fading in December and hasn't exactly been lighting things up as the holidays near? You worry that Peterson can't find a hole and/or can't wait for a hole lately? You worry that even marginal QBs can still have big games when there isn't enough pass rush, and you worry that Vikings blitzes rarely seem to yield sacks?

Well, that is typical. That is typical stuff from someone who has watched a lot of Vikings games. Worry, worry, worry. We'll be over here CELEBRATING that sweet NFC NORTH TITLE and just assuming all will be well as the DIVISION CHAMPS roll on.