Vikings give opposition something to think about

It was just a glimpse, but ... but ... yes! It's there. A healthy twinge of swagger has emerged among the Vikings offense, an attitude missing since the days of Randy Moss, Daunte Culpepper and Robert Smith.

Emboldened by their 311-yard rushing performance at Chicago, they are all but inviting the Dallas Cowboys to stack the line of scrimmage with run defenders Sunday at Texas Stadium. Although they completed only nine passes against the Bears, the Vikings had receivers running open all afternoon and know they were a few drops and a couple overthrows away from a really big offensive day.

"It depends on us," quarterback Tarvaris Jackson said. "We just feel like if we go out there and execute the offense, and do the things that we can do, nobody can pretty much stop us."

Whoa. Such statements fell into the cliché category at Winter Park earlier this decade, but they have been heard on only rare occasions since the Vikings' well-documented offensive doldrums began in 2005. Jackson, however, was speaking three days after tailback Adrian Peterson's record-setting performance against the Bears.

The backfield duo of Peterson and Chester Taylor, combined with the Vikings' paltry passing numbers, make a run-stacked defense the most logical response from the Cowboys. Strong safety Roy Williams, for one, is especially adept at prowling the line of scrimmage.

"If they are smart," Jackson said, "that is what they will do -- throw all those guys in the box. Three hundred and some rushing yards last week? It's just the right thing to do. If you are a good defensive coordinator, I am pretty sure you'll put all those guys in the box and make me and the rest of the receivers beat you outside."

It seems a fair proposition. Jackson, after all, is completing 49.4 percent of his passes this season and is still limited by a strained groin. He managed only nine completions in 23 attempts against the Bears, and the Vikings are one of only two NFL teams with more net rushing yards (851) than passing (846).

Wednesday, however, Jackson dispensed his advice with a smile on his face; both he and his coaches left Soldier Field more encouraged than you might think.

Included in the silver lining:

• Troy Williamson's 60-yard touchdown reception, a did-that-really-happen? moment that will make opponents think twice about leaving a safety to cover him deep.

• Four drops by open receivers, including two slants -- one to Williamson and one to Sidney Rice -- that almost certainly would have gone for gains of 20-plus yards.

• Two overthrows that could have been touchdowns -- to fullback Tony Richardson in the second quarter and Williamson in the fourth.

In general, those opportunities resulted from the Bears committing at least one defensive back to stopping the run. When the Vikings passed against that alignment, the defensive back blitzed instead of dropping into coverage.

Wednesday, Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said he didn't have any magic formula for stopping Peterson.

"You just have to tackle well," Phillips said, but it's probably safe to assume his defense is going to make Peterson work for his yards.

"All that does is place more emphasis on our passing game," Vikings receiver Bobby Wade said. "We've got to be able to go out there and take our shots, to be able to capitalize on it. This whole offense, we're aware of the situation. We are aware of where we want to go. It's just a matter of doing it."

By several estimates, opposing defenses have stacked against the run on well over half of the Vikings' offensive plays this season. Ultimately, coach Brad Childress said, the goal is to replicate a balance the Vikings had in 2000 with Moss, Culpepper and Smith.

That season, Culpepper threw 33 touchdown passes -- 15 to Moss -- and Smith ran for a team-record 1,521 yards. Because of their respect for Moss, most opposing defenses couldn't afford to properly defend Smith.

"Robert was a good running back," Childress said. "But it's easy to run when the numbers aren't on the defensive side. People had to do that ... kind of like pick your poison."

Moss and Smith? Defenses that have no good option? Call it s-s-s-swagger.

Kevin Seifert • kseifert@startribune.com