Here come the Redskins

MINNEAPOLIS -- Sean sure would be proud.

Playing the kind of hard-nosed, harder-hitting defense that fallen teammate Sean Taylor was famous for, the Washington Redskins shut down Adrian Peterson and set up 2 early touchdowns with interceptions to take control of their playoff fate with a 32-21 victory over the sloppy Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night.

Todd Collins was 22-for-29 for 254 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Clinton Portis had 124 total yards, threw a TD pass and ran for another score for the Redskins (8-7), who can clinch the final NFC playoff spot with a win over Dallas next week.

Peterson had nowhere to go all night, gaining just 27 yards on 9 carries. Tarvaris Jackson's rebound from a disastrous start came too little, too late for the Vikings (8-7), who could have clinched a playoff berth with a win.

With homefield advantage already locked up, the Cowboys could rest many of their key players, and a Redskins playoff berth would give Webster a new definition for resilience.

Taylor, the prototype free safety for the new millenium and a revered figure in the Washington locker room, died on Nov. 27 after being shot by burglars at his Florida home.

His death rocked the organization from top to bottom, and the Skins suffered a crushing last-second loss to Buffalo days later -- their fourth in a row -- to fall to 5-7.

Washington also lost a laundry list of starters to injury this season.

Yet, here they are, winners of three straight thanks to an unrelenting defense and the steady play of Collins, who started his second consecutive game after spending most of the previous 10 years on the bench.

Portis capped the dominant first half with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Antwaan Randle-El that gave Washington a 22-0 lead at halftime.

Jackson finished 25 of 41 for 241 yards and now his Vikings need some serious help. They need to win at Denver next week and have the Redskins to lose to the Cowboys to make the playoffs.