Outside criticism is tiresome to Jackson

Tarvaris Jackson, a lifelong sports fan, admits that until this year he would spend his leisure time watching ESPN and perusing sports publications. But the quarterback's roller-coaster season, which to this point has had more downs than ups, has caused him to change those habits.

"The way things have been going around here, I just try to put the papers down and don't watch too much TV, especially because my TV always stays on NFL Network and ESPN," Jackson said Wednesday. "I just try to stay away from those channels because a lot of bad things are being said about me."

Jackson understands football analysts have a job to do, but that doesn't mean he wants to hear opinions about his performance or the performance of anyone else on his team.

"Some people don't really understand what is going on," he said. "They are looking from the outside in. I get mad even when they talk about other people, not just me. When they talk about other guys and they don't really understand what is going on within that team or within that play or just different things. ... It just keeps you from being angry [if you ignore it]."

With more than 2,800 tickets remaining for Sunday's game, the Vikings are expected to ask the NFL today for a 24-hour extension of the deadline by which all tickets must be sold or a local television blackout will be enforced.

The deadline is 72 hours before kickoff, or noon today, but the Vikings almost certainly will get an extension until noon Friday to try to reach a sellout. The franchise has not had a game blacked out in the Twin Cities since 1997.

Steve LaCroix, Vikings vice president of sales and marketing, said conversations with corporations about buying blocks of tickets continued Wednesday.

The Vikings have received corporate assistance to sell out three of their five home games this season, but in all three cases, the station carrying the game has purchased a large number of seats. There is a chance Fox-owned KMSP (Ch. 9), which is scheduled to carry the Vikings-Lions game, won't be willing to do that.

Coach Brad Childress said linebackers Chad Greenway and Ben Leber were voted the Vikings' winners of the Ed Block Courage award and the Byron (Whizzer) White award, respectively. Both are voted on by players. Greenway, who received the honor for exemplifying sportsmanship and courage, has started all 11 games this season after sitting out last year because of a knee injury. Leber was honored for his charitable work.

Running back Adrian Peterson (knee) was limited in practice Wednesday but still appears to be on track to play Sunday. He is expected to split carries with veteran Chester Taylor.

Also limited were center Matt Birk (knee), fullback Tony Richardson (knee), linebacker Dontarrious Thomas (groin), wide receiver Troy Williamson (concussion) and cornerback Antoine Winfield (hamstring). Safety Tank Williams (knee) and defensive end Kenechi Udeze (personal reasons) were the only two players to sit out practice.

With defensive tackle Fred Evans suspended for two games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, the Vikings signed defensive tackle Conrad Bolston from their practice squad. The Vikings re-signed defensive tackle Alex Guerrero to take Bolston's place on the practice squad.