Mark Craig: Lightweight Winfield does heavy lifting

Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield returned from a six-game absence with a healthy right foot, an energy boost for weary teammates and an individual effort that had reporters asking him if he thinks he is, pound for pound, the best player in the NFL.

"I do," the 5-9, 180-pounder said after making a game-high nine solo tackles and forcing a fumble in Sunday's 30-10 rout of a Bengals team that came into the Metrodome 9-3 overall and 7-0 against teams in the AFC and NFC North divisions.

Winfield lamented dropping what should have been an easy interception. He also blamed himself for biting on a fake reverse that allowed Chad Ochocinco to catch an easy 15-yard touchdown pass. But other than that, a rejuvenated Winfield, who said he felt like it was Week 1, was all over the field making tackles for a banged-up defense that was forced to start rookies Jamarca Sanford at safety and Jasper Brinkley at middle linebacker.

"I consider [Winfield] a top-five run defender in all of football," Vikings quarterback Brett Favre said. "Not only is he good against the pass, he's as valuable to our run stop as Kevin and Pat [Williams]."

Winfield's best play came in the waning seconds of the first half. The Bengals trailed 13-7 and had second-and-1 from their 35-yard line. In what proved to be poor coaching, they showed no urgency to score, yet continued to call plays rather than simply kneel down.

With 13 seconds left, the Bengals called a screen pass that put 575 pounds of personnel between the football and Winfield. Winfield won, slipping below 6-4, 345-pound guard Bobbie Williams and colliding with 6-1, 230-pound running back Brian Leonard hard enough to strip the ball.

"I don't know how he did it," said Leonard, "but the guy found a way to slide in perfectly behind a huge guard and make a great play."

Winfield's extensive film study came through earlier in the game when he undercut Leonard, twirling him to the ground.

"That's the first time anyone has tackled me on one of my jumps like that," Leonard said. "Winfield must have been watching some film."

On the nine plays in which Winfield made a tackle, the Bengals gained just 36 yards. That includes a probable touchdown-saving tackle of Cedric Benson after a 4-yard gain to the Vikings' 5-yard line. The Bengals settled for a field goal and a 23-10 deficit two plays later.

Winfield, who said his right foot "felt great" after the game, also made great plays even when he wasn't credited with the tackle. One of them came on a third-and-1 play at the Bengals 39 late in the third quarter.

"I had the tight end in man-to-man coverage," said Winfield, referring to 6-3, 265-pound J.P. Foschi.

Winfield also went in motion and essentially was lined up as a second middle linebacker when the ball was snapped. Foschi came racing toward Winfield, with Benson and the ball close behind.

"If [Foschi] comes up, my job is to dive in under him," said Winfield, who did exactly that. "If I can get in there and make a pile, hopefully somebody else can make the tackle."

Somebody did -- for a 1-yard loss.

"With [Winfield] out there, it's a totally different secondary," Sanford said. "He puts fear in a runner's heart when they see No. 26 coming up."

Not bad for the guy whose listed weight ranked 105th of the 106 players on Sunday's flip chart. Only Vikings receiver Jaymar Johnson (176) is lighter.

"I've pretty much perfected the art of tackling," Winfield said. "Usually when I hit you, you go down."