Kevin Williams: 'We don't even worry'

DETROIT - Kevin and Pat Williams can continue playing in uncertainty while a federal judge decides whether the NFL's four-game suspension should take effect.

"We don't even worry about it," Kevin Williams said after the Vikings' 20-16 victory over the Lions on Sunday. "I'm playing football until told otherwise and that's what I'm going to do. ... We were all focused on Detroit [today]. That's what we came to do, to play Detroit in a division game, and that's what we wanted to do."

Neither of the Williamses talked about the situation last week -- their suspensions for violating the NFL's steroid policy were announced Tuesday, and the judge cleared them to play Friday -- and nose tackle Pat Williams continues to decline interview requests. Kevin Williams had five tackles, two for losses, in Sunday's victory. Pat Williams had four tackles.

Coach Brad Childress said he "didn't see any adverse effects at all," when asked if the Williamses were able to put the situation out of their minds.

Both Williamses apologized to the team for the possible distraction, according to safety Darren Sharper. "Both guys don't want to be a distraction at all," Sharper said. "We didn't think it was, but they apologized if it was. Those guys just want to play football. That's all they're worried about, is being the best two defensive tackles in the league."

Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe was the Vikings' leading receiver with five catches for 65 yards, and he scored the go-ahead touchdown on an 11-yard catch in the fourth quarter.

Unfortunately, he also became the subject of an embarrassing TV mistake in the locker room afterward that caused Fox officials to issue an apology.

Shiancoe was inadvertently shown naked while a Fox camera crew taped owner Zygi Wilf's presentation of the game ball to coach Brad Childress' 19-year-old son, Andrew, who is joining the Marine Corps today.

Shiancoe was standing behind and to the side of Wilf with a towel partly covering his body.

"It obviously was an oversight on our part and we apologize," said Fox Sports Vice President of Communications Dan Bell.

On the field, Shiancoe has become an important and reliable target in the passing game. "I'm just glad I'm in the mix," he said. "I'm glad when my number is called [that] I'm making plays. So, they can't just key on one or two guys. The more threats we can create on offense, the better off we are."

Nickelback Benny Sapp had a rough day. He was called for offsides twice on the same drive in the first quarter. He also received a holding penalty that negated a third-down stop in the third quarter. Detroit's Calvin Johnson hauled in a 70-yard touchdown catch on the next play.

"It was tough," Sapp said. "Those are flags I can't get. I have to go back and look at the film to see if I was offsides. I never had that flag before, just lining up in the neutral zone."

Sapp's holding was especially costly because Chad Greenway sacked Daunte Culpepper on the play, which would have forced the Lions to punt.

"It was a pretty fair call," Sapp said.

"I tugged on him a little bit, but that's football. But they were making all the calls today so you had to be on your game."

Cornerback Cedric Griffin was beaten by Johnson on a go route down the sideline on the 70-yard touchdown catch.

Johnson ran past Griffin off the line and caught Culpepper's pass at about the 30-yard line. "I kind of relaxed for a moment and when I relaxed he got me," Griffin said.

Childress was victorious twice on challenges Sunday, and both proved to be critical plays.

The first came in the second quarter when Adrian Peterson lost a fumble that was recovered by Lions cornerback Travis Fisher. But after looking at the play, referee Jerome Boger ruled Peterson was down before he fumbled. Ryan Longwell's 35-yard field goal capped that drive.

Childress' second challenge did not appear as clear-cut. On third-and-11 from the Vikings 21 in the fourth quarter, Culpepper completed a 13-yard pass to Johnson for an apparent first down. But Childress contended that Johnson did not have control, although replays did not seem to be conclusive. Detroit, trailing 17-13 at the time, was forced to settle for a field goal rather than have first-and-goal.

• Kickoff returner Darius Reynaud said he sprained his right big toe on his first kickoff return. He nearly broke his second return but was tackled after a 43-yard return. Reynaud left the game to get treatment, but he was able to return. "On the second kickoff, I literally was running on my heel," said Reynaud, who will have an MRI today. "That would have been the one. I still got a good return out of it."

• Artis Hicks returned to start at right tackle after sitting out the previous game because of an injury to his right elbow. Running back Maurice Hicks was inactive for the third consecutive game. Defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy also was inactive.

JUDD ZULGAD and CHIP SCOGGINS