Asher Allen News

Sunday was an exciting day for fans of the Vikings. The purple decided that they wanted to show up and they did so in a big way.

Antoine Winfield, Vikings: Returned from injury with team-high nine tackles and a forced fumble.

The average fan might have thought the Vikings would have trouble beating the Bengals with standout middle linebacker E.J. Henderson sidelined because of a broken leg and starting safety Tyrell Johnson also out because of a concussion.

Will step in as starting middle linebacker for the injured E.J. Henderson. The Vikings traded up eight spots to get Brinkley, a 6-1, 250-pounder, in the fifth round this year out of South Carolina.

When Minnesota Vikings linebacker EJ Henderson was lost for the season due to injury in 2008, the Vikings re-acquired Napoleon Harris, who was sent to the Vikings by the Oakland Raiders with a first-round pick for WR Randy Moss in 2005.

It's hard to imagine that Minnesota won't lose middle linebacker E.J. Henderson for the season after he suffered a gruesome injury to his left leg Sunday night in the Vikings' 30-17 loss at Arizona.

This will become a weekly tradition until the 2010 NFL draft actually occurs. I did this same thing last year before the draft.

Cornerback Antoine Winfield celebrates after intercepting a pass at the MN 23 in the second quarter, as the Vikings defeat the Green Bay Packers 30-23 at the Metrodome in Minneapolis on October 5, 2009 .

Don't get burned: Seattle receivers T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Nate Burleson have their own reasons for wanting big personal performances and a victory.

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield has given himself an "85 percent" chance of returning to play this week.

But Sapp didn't hesitate to name his No. 1. " Calvin Johnson is the best receiver in the league, hands down," Sapp said of the Detroit Lions star.

FELDY: Phersy, our favorite NFL club hits its bye week at a crisp 7-1 this week.

Kickoff: 3:15 p.m. TV: Ch. 9 . Radio: 1130-AM, 100.3 FM. Line: Packers by 3. Series: Packers lead 49-47-1. Last meeting: Vikings 30, Packers 23 .

Going into tomorrow's mega-matchup between the Packers and Vikings at Lambeau Field, those Brett Favre interceptions suddenly are a lot harder to come by.

Four days after a 33-31 victory over the Baltimore Ravens , Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier recounted his emotions during a fourth quarter in which his defense blew a 17-point lead.

The Minnesota Vikings had the NFL 's top red-zone offense, scoring a touchdown on 65.2 percent of their trips inside an opponent's 20-yard line.

The Vikings had plenty of chances to win Sunday against the Steelers but ultimately coughed the ball up one too many times in the 27-17 loss.

PITTSBURGH a ' Antoine Winfield left the locker roomwith a walking boot on his right foot Sunday, but the Minnesota Vikings cornerback denied reports that he has a fractured foot and will be sidelined four to six weeks.

Maybe I've got the story of the week wrong. In this space, I always try to look at the aspect of the weekend's games that fascinates me the most, and the thing that really hit me the other day when looking over the 13 games on tap was this: Dick LeBeau and the Steelers against the two-headed Brett Favre/Adrian Peterson monster of the Vikings.

The Vikings may be in big trouble against the Steelers without Antoine Winfield.