ADRIAN is Running Back Immortality. Four consecutive with at least 100, a bunch of rushing scores, long runs ... the true beast in Beast Mode.

The rushing defense (allowing 165 RYPG the last month) held the Lions' running-game "evolution" to 60 yards, and LESHOURE was pedestrian at best. JAMARCA forced another fumble, his fifth this year. RUDOLPH went for 64 and one. CARLSON had the longest gain of his Vikings' career (11 yards). AROMASHODU caught his first pass in a month and looked smooth rambling to the goal line for 31.

CHAD GREENWAY had his first pick since 2009. WINFIELD had more tackles (nine) than he had his last two games (six). He also had his first TFL in three games and even recovered a fumble.

BLAIR WALSH had six touchbacks, breaking MITCH BERGER'S record of 40 for a season, and went 4-for-4 on field goals, meaning he still only has missed one for the year.

KEVIN WILLIAMS recorded a sack in his 150th start in Our Favorite Colors. JARIUS WRIGHT scored a TD in his first game as a pro.

All of that led to us beating the Lions today and sweeping the division foe, but the single most important thing to emerge from the win was the performance of our QB, CHRISTIAN PONDER. The best teams in the league have good quarterbacks, and our guy was facing much pressure and scrutiny and responded like a stud. he finished 24 of 32 for 221, two and zero. It was his first two-TD game since FedEx.

He hit FELTON in the "flat" to start, found Jarius for 54 running by safety ERIK COLEMAN a bit later and responded to the criticism with one of the best performances of his career. He was in a rhythm early, made sure Rudolph was the identity of a TE-based offense and checked in and out of plays like a veteran. He now has started 20 games, and it was a treat to see him step up in the pocket while keeping his eyes down the field. It's the most poised he has looked since we upset San Francisco.

Christian had taken 14 sacks the last four games and went down twice today, but he wasn't holding it too long like during the last four, and made his quick-firing decisions with certainty. Christian Ponder looked the part against a defense that had allowed 16 PPg the last five. We scored 34, and the QB's role had much to do with it. And it came sans PERCY HARVIN, one of the game's best receivers.

So, we head into the BYE on a positive note and return in two weeks at Chicago. It's nut-cuttin' time, and a loss today would have been curtains on the 2012 campaign. The team responded with class and as an underdog at home and against a hot team. Well done, men, well done.