MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Vikings defense bent, but this time it didn't break.

	Vikings safety Robert Griffith broke up this pass for Darnell McDonald on the game's final play.

Despite allowing 370 total yards on Sunday, Corey Miller's interception with 1:54 remaining helped secure a 21-14 victory for the Vikings over Tampa Bay and helped wash away some of the bitterness of last week's last-second loss at Green Bay.

"You never know it's over until it's really over," said Vikings safety Robert Griffith, who knocked away a last-ditch pass in the end zone as time expired. "We didn't let what happened to us last week happen again. It was big 'W' for us."

The Vikings (2-2) appeared to have a victory in hand last Sunday against the Packers at Lambeau Field until Brett Favre hit Corey Bradford with a fourth-down touchdown pass with just 12 seconds remaining to lift Green Bay past Minnesota 23-20.

"We get to celebrate today," said safety Orlando Thomas, whose brutal hit on tight end Dave Moore resulted in a key incomplete pass two plays before Miller's interception. "Anything can happen in 60 minutes, as you all saw."

Miller, starting in place of injured linebacker Kailee Wong (hamstring) for the second consecutive week, had eight tackles in addition to his interception, which came as Tampa Bay quarterback Trent Dilfer tried to trick the defense and hit elusive running back Warrick Dunn on a fourth-and-1 pass play.

"We were in man coverage, and I was isolated on Dunn," said Miller, who spent all of 1998 on injured reserve with a herniated disk in his neck. "They have a sharp pencil. Dunn's a good matchup on any linebacker."

Minnesota got the ball back at its own 10-yard line, but was forced to punt after three plays. The Bucs then moved from their own 35 to the Vikings' 18, overcoming three penalties that cost them 20 yards and the loss of 10 seconds on the clock, before running out of time.

"We won it on the defensive side of the ball, and that's the way we wanted it," said Thomas. "We wanted to defend our home turf."

A key element in the Vikings' success was controlling Tampa Bay's two main running backs -- Dunn and Mike Alstott, who were held to a total of 81 yards rushing.

Jerry Ball, re-signed by Minnesota on Tuesday, helped jam up the middle of the line, enabling linebackers Ed McDaniel and Dwayne Rudd to combine for 21 tackles and giving more freedom to linemate John Randle, who had two sacks and recovered a fumble.

"Jerry Ball set the tempo for us," McDaniel said. "A lot of people were looking at him. He knew what we needed him to do, and he did it."

"My role here is to play the run on first and second down," said Ball, who had five tackles and deflected a pass. "I welcome that. I'm a run-stopper. I'm not here to intercept passes."

Griffith credited Ball with making the rest of the Vikings defense better.

"He's a foundation guy," Griffith said. "Everything comes off the foundation and allows the rest of the guys to play their positions."

Ball took the compliment in stride.

"I appreciate what Robert said," Ball said. "If my presence was felt, then the other players are going to let me know. Any good defense is strong up the middle. We knew they would try to run because the shortest distance to the goal line is up the middle."