Purple trio settles for almost a record

SAN FRANCISCO - The 2006 Vikings came to Monster Park in November, lost 9-3 to the punchless 49ers and watched their season turn into a 6-10 disaster.

The Vikings were back on Sunday as 8½-point favorites. Any fear the Purple might offer a repeat of last year's mess was wiped out within 14 seconds, when defensive tackle Kevin Williams batted a Trent Dilfer pass to himself and rumbled 18 yards for a touchdown.

Williams set two Vikings records with this. He became the first lineman to score four touchdowns (two interceptions, two fumble recoveries) and the first lineman to have four interceptions.

The immediate touchdown started the Vikings to a dominating first half and a 27-0 lead. The offense put it in cruise in the second half, and the final was 27-7.

The Vikings were a happy bunch when they reached the visitors' locker room. There was the four-game winning streak, sole hold on the final NFC wild-card spot and an opportunity to claim more records.

Coach Brad Childress declared his team had set an NFL record with three interceptions by linemen: first by Kevin Williams, then by Pat Williams, and finally by Spencer Johnson.

The Williams gents and Johnson went further. They agreed this had to be a first in the annals of adult football: three interceptions by tackles.

Pat Williams was in the next cubicle. "How can three interceptions by tackles not be a first?" he said. "I've never heard of anything like that."

Asked if he agreed this was a "world record" for interceptions by tackles, Johnson flashed a large smile and said: "I hope it is."

Yes, the big men in the middle of the Vikings defense were having a good time answering questions about interceptions and records, and then the final statistics were produced:

The NFL staff working the game ruled Johnson's play in the fourth quarter was a fumble recovery -- that Shaun Hill's right arm was not in a throwing motion when he was hit by Otis Grigsby and the ball popped to Johnson.

Oh, well.

"We have a tip drill every Friday in practice," Kevin Williams said. "Coach Karl Dunbar throws to the tackles, and coach Brendan Daly throws to the ends, and we work at getting our hands up, tipping the ball and trying for an interception.

"When you get a payoff like this for that practice, it's a great feeling."

Kevin Williams called his interception a "huge momentum-changer." Actually, it was more a huge maintainer of momentum. The Vikings came in with a three-game winning streak and off a 42-10 pummeling of Detroit. The 49ers were 3-9 and with a crowd ready to voice its wrath.

The 49ers brought the opening kickoff to their 27. They opened with a blatant false start. Then, on the game's first official play from scrimmage, Williams smacked Dilfer's pass and headed for the end zone.

The portion of the audience that had made its way to the seats started booing -- and didn't really stop until Dilfer was hurt in the final minute of the first half.

Pat Williams' interception came off Hill late in the third quarter. He also had his second sack of the season during the first-half rout. The 49ers neglected to block Williams, and he made a straight-line burst toward Dilfer and smothered him.

"The Big Fella got up the field, didn't he?" Kevin Williams said.

Next door, Pat Williams said: "They're going to forget me, I'm going to go get the quarterback. Actually, the back came over and tried to block me, but I was too quick for him."

Lots of smiles, lots of laughs ... just no world record for interceptions by tackles, unless the Vikings can get the stats czars to change the interpretation of the football devoured by Spencer Johnson late in this thumping.