Mark Craig: Even the guys who played 'em aren't too certain

The idea was to get 10 Vikings to take a moment from Wednesday's Winter Park Skedaddle to predict who will win the NFC Championship game in 17 days.

The No. 1-seeded Cowboys and the No. 2-seeded Packers were locked in a 3-3 tie atop the leaderboard when I approached left guard Steve Hutchinson. I was sure he'd break the tie rather than reach like fullback Tony Richardson did when he said, "I'd have to say ... Washington."

"I have no idea," said Hutchinson, not even looking up. "It's the NFL. Any given Sunday, bud. OK?"

That, folks, is what you call a verbal pancake. And it left me still deadlocked with time running out in the annual season-ending Winter Park Skedaddle.

But, you know what, I can't really blame Hutch for blowing off my question. Predicting the outcome of NFL games really is ridiculous -- especially in this case when there are four NFC playoff games before we even get to the title game.

But, hey, I figured since the Vikings had played four of the six NFC playoff teams this season -- beating the Giants and losing to the Redskins, Cowboys and Packers (twice) -- they might have a better idea what's going to happen.

Wrong.

Wade then sheepishly asked something that probably disqualifies him as an NFL "expert."

"Seattle," Wade said. "They're in the NFC, right?"

Only for the past six years.

Let's move on to Kevin Williams. As great as young Adrian Peterson is, I'd still pick K-Will No. 1 if I had to rank the most valuable Vikings.

"Washington is really on a roll; and Seattle we saw in the preseason, so I know they're doing good out there; and Green Bay, they beat us the worst, so I guess they're the best," Williams said. "I'd look at those three."

"Pick just one?" Williams said. "Maybe Seattle. But probably Green Bay, although I hope not. One of those two, but ... who knows?"

Not wanting to anger the 6-5, 311-pounder, I put him down for Green Bay and Seattle.

Safety Darren Sharper was next. The guy is smoooooth, and you know he's angling for one of these network NFL gigs in a few years. He'll give us an interesting surprise, right?

"Everybody is going to say the Cowboys because of home-field advantage," Sharper said. "But I'm going to have to say ... [pause] ... the Cowboys because they have home-field advantage."

Sharper did manage to rally shortly after that bor-RING comment. Asked about the Giants' chances after nearly beating the Patriots last week, Sharper smiled and said, "I wish we played them every week."

"Brett Favre has never won at Dallas [0-8]," Leber said. "You have to go with the odds."

By now, I was in my no-huddle mode as the Winter Park Skedaddle reached the two-minute warning. I needed an 11th opinion.

Just then, receiver Robert Ferguson walked by. Yeah, he has a slightly Green Bay slant to him, but there were about 50 people around Peterson and it was getting close to Hail Mary time.

"It'll come down to Green Bay and Dallas in Dallas," Ferguson said. "And Green Bay will win."

Why?