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SPORTS ZONE 1: Vikings Upset, Playoffs Now Set

Sunday set the 2003-2004 NFL play-off picture in stone. While huge and unexpected dominos did fall, making post-season long-shot hopefuls realities, the core contenders simply padded the proliferated view that they, indeed, can contend for the NFL's highest honors.

Clearly the biggest upset of "do-or-die" weekend was the Arizona Cardinal's fourth-and-twenty-five miracle over Minnesota. As the clock expired, Josh McCown tossed a 28-yard touchdown to Nathan Poole, rallying to beat the Vikings 18 to 17. By virtue of the loss, Green Bay was awarded an almost impossible playoff spot via the divisional championship. The Packers, who made a strong showing against Denver, beating the Broncos 31-3, are poised for what could be a Super Bowl run.

The Dallas Cowboys, ready for playoff action behind a pumped-up Bill Parcels, ended their regular-season with a disappointing 13-7 loss to the New Orleans Saints, who by way of the win, ended with a respectable 8-8 record. The Cowboy's cousins to the North, the Houston Texans, nearly pulled off a monumental upset over the Indianapolis Colts, who managed to squeak by 20-17, on a last second 43-yard Mike Vanderjagt field goal.

Wild-Card Weekend, as it has come to be called, will pit Tennessee at Baltimore, Dallas at Carolina, Seattle at Green Bay, and Denver at Indianapolis. New England, who ended the season with the NFL's best record (14-2), will play Kansas City (13-3) in the second AFC divisional game, while Philadelphia (12-4) will play St. Louis (12-4) in the second NFC divisional game.

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