Vikings will be peeking at scoreboard Sunday

In a league full of teams that pride themselves on taking it one game at a time, never worrying about things they can't control and countless other clichés designed to foster unity, the Vikings are certain to break ranks from the rest of the NFL for at least one day.

That's because as Minnesota plays a late-afternoon game Sunday in Denver, players and team personnel are sure to direct plenty of looks at Invesco Field's out-of-town scoreboard. The specific focus will be on what is transpiring between the Dallas Cowboys and the host Washington Redskins in a game that also kicks off at 3:15 p.m.

After losing to Washington on Sunday night, the only way the Vikings can get into the postseason is by beating Denver and having the Cowboys defeat Washington. So how will Vikings coach Brad Childress feel about having his team's focus in, gasp, two places at once?

"I am not going to mandate anything or ask [Broncos coach] Mike Shanahan not to put the scores up there or anything like that," Childress said.

"It is what it is. They certainly know what is at stake, and it's the way it is today. There is going to be a time where the scores are going to flash up there, and I am sure somebody is going to whisper."

Those whispers potentially could include some very nasty words directed toward the Cowboys. Dallas (13-2) has locked up home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs and has little incentive to play its starters much against the archrival Redskins. Cowboys coach Wade Phillips played it safe during his Monday news conference when discussing the situation.

"We haven't finalized everything as far as who's playing," Phillips said. "We have to see who's healthy, see who's ready to go. And then we're gonna approach it like we're gonna try to win the game. That's what you play for."

But wide receiver Terrell Owens already is out because of an ankle sprain, and quarterback Tony Romo (bruised right thumb) and center Andre Gurode (knee) could see little to no action. That might just be the start for a team that after Sunday won't play again until the divisional round on Jan. 12 or 13.

Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield admitted he doesn't expect Dallas to treat this like a normal game.

"You've already clinched home-field advantage," he said during an interview on KFAN Radio. "What you're trying not to do is get any of your starters hurt. I think they'll probably take that same approach. Of course, they'll try to win the game, but I don't think they'll have enough to beat Washington."

If Romo doesn't start or gets pulled early, it would give Brad Johnson his first chance to throw a regular-season pass in a Dallas uniform. This could be good news for the Vikings.

While Sunday's game might not mean much to many of the Cowboys, Johnson can't be included in that group. The 16-year veteran, whose second stint with the Vikings came to an end after last season, isn't exactly fond of the Redskins.

Traded by the Vikings to Washington before the 1999 season, Johnson spent two years with that franchise. He led the Redskins to the playoffs in his first season and was named to the Pro Bowl, but Washington decided to go with Jeff George following 2000 and Johnson left as a free agent.

Johnson's feelings toward the Redskins and owner Daniel Snyder were made clear after he led the Vikings to a 19-16 victory in the 2006 opener at FedEx Field. As Johnson dressed in the visitor's locker room following that Monday night game, he donned his old Redskins jersey and proudly headed toward the team bus with the grin of a Cheshire cat.

No matter what the Cowboys do Sunday, Childress made it clear he won't be upset. That's in part because Childress was in a similar situation when he served as Philadelphia's offensive coordinator in 2004. That season the Eagles were 13-1 and had clinched the top spot in the NFC with two games remaining.

Eagles coach Andy Reid decided to rest many of his players and Philadelphia was beaten by St. Louis (20-7) and Cincinnati (38-10). But it proved to be a good call as the Eagles went on to beat the Vikings and Atlanta in the playoffs before losing to New England in the Super Bowl.

"That's the nature of the business," Childress said. "[The Cowboys are] looking at I'm sure being able to give it their best shot in their playoff run. We've done it before; when you have nothing to gain in terms of positioning you kind of weigh where you think you're going to be freshnesswise and sharpnesswise to what you need to do in the game you're playing."