The Vikings didn't see Sunday's divisional playoff matchup with St. Louis as two high-powered trains on a collision path, however.

"That's just unrealistic," wide receiver Cris Carter said. "We were just trying to get back to .500, finish the season strong."

	Robert Smith set a Vikings' playoff record by rushing for 140 yards on 28 carries last week.

Quarterback Jeff George said the Vikings (11-6), the fourth seed in the NFC, couldn't afford to look ahead to the playoff possibilities because they were too concerned about qualifying for the postseason, period.

"I don't think you look ahead," George said. "I know we weren't too concerned with who we were playing two to three weeks from now because we were already in a hole and trying to dig ourselves out.

"But now that it's here," George added, "I think it's a good matchup."

It's probably the most intriguing matchup of the playoffs, two teams that are mirror images of each other, with strong offenses, opportunistic defenses and electrifying special teams.

"It's a matchup that everybody wanted to see, mainly because of the offenses," George said. "But we give most of our credit to our defense, these last four or five weeks, creating the turnovers that they have and giving us the chance to score in the red area, getting huge turnovers at good times. Our defense has been playing well.

"But obviously this is the matchup that everybody wanted to see."

The Rams and Vikings didn't meet this year.

"All I know about St. Louis is they've been scoring a lot of points and winning a lot of games," running back Robert Smith said. "It's obviously going to be tough to play on the road in a city that has had its share of rough luck with teams and those guys are going to be all fired up."

The Rams are early seven-point favorites over the Vikings, who have won four straight games.

But Vikings coach Dennis Green said his team is playing its best defense, has its most balanced offense and is accustomed to playing in domes and on turf.

"And then hopefully the fact that we've already played a postseason game, a playoff game, we're hoping that will help us also," he said.

The Rams had last weekend off to rest up because they earned the top seed and homefield advantage in the NFC.

All week the Vikings are going to be reminded of their painful past, with questions about whether the Rams are this year's version of the 1998 Vikings, who had a record-breaking regular season only to lose in the NFC championship at home and as a big favorite.

"They could be the Vikings of '98, but some bad things happened to the Vikings of '98," receiver Randy Moss said. "So, I don't think people down in St. Louis would like that comment."

Grasping to beat the bye team
In the 1990s, NFC teams with a first-round bye are 17-1 in the divisional round. The only team to lose was the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, who lost to Green Bay in a game that signaled the Packers' rise to Super Bowl power.

That doesn't forecast fortune for the Vikings as they travel to St. Louis to face the top-seeded Rams Sunday.

Still, Vikings coach Dennis Green said a first-round bye can work against a team with high expectations.

"I think it's very dicey with the bye no matter when it is, regular season or playoffs," Green said. "Do you practice a lot? Do you practice not as much? Do you give them three days off? Four days off? Are we going to lose momentum? Are we going to gain momentum?"

Then, there's the decisions during the bye week when teams with a bye don't know who their opponent is yet.

"Which team do we look at? Do we not look at anybody? Do we just wait until the game is over? There are a lot of decisions that you have to make.

"I think that over the years, it's always been tough on teams with byes," Green said. "Not with anyone in particular, but it's always been difficult to start as fast. We hope that since we're not fatigued, since we're not worn down, we're hoping that because we played last week that we'll have some momentum working in our favor."

Green said he doesn't necessarily relish the chance to face the top seed.

"Seedings are just so you can have a format," he said. "You don't get any more advantage than that. They don't get anything extra. They've got to go play and we're the fourth seed and we're in the exact same situation. We don't get any penalty because we're the fourth seed."

Except, of course, having to play in the din of the Trans World Dome.

Injury report
Coach Dennis Green said defensive back-kick returner Robert Tate (shoulder) and special teams ace Harrold Morrow (ankle) are sore but should play Sunday against the Rams.

Linebacker Ed McDaniel didn't aggravate his sprained right knee Sunday.

"He did a good job, never left the game at all," Green said. "We played a couple six-defensive back defenses where he came out. We gave him a few breathers. That was probably only four or five plays. He played well."

Extra points