Couldn't be any more excited for the game. On the plane now, it's dark, most of the players are sleeping, some are playing cards and a few are watching film, trying to nab last-second tells on the Texans.

Yep, we'll run the ball and run powerfully and explosively, but CHRISTIAN PONDER will have to stick some significant hits on this quality defense for us to hold the ball. Houston's defense is tops in the NFL in T.O.P. allowed at like 26 MPG, and that could be an issue. Might need a defensive or ST TD to win this thing, but the game is winnable, and even if we lose we are not toally eliminated from playoff discussion.

The hope is this is not our last road trip and that somehow, someway we head to Lambeau for the first round of the playoffs. I am rooting for us to win, for the Ravens to beat the NYG, the Eagles to upset the 'Skins and for the Saints and Cardinals to win as 'dogs. All that would provide professional Christmas gifts, so let's unwrap some postiivity, luck and fun.

The game-calling depth chart is full of info to be shared tomorrow starting at 10 a.m. with Vikings Footbal Sunday:

-- Records: K BLAIR WALSH has eight makes this year from 50 and beyond, which is tied for an NFL record. ... ADRIAN PETERSON has six games this year of 150 rushing yards or more, which is one behind EARL CAMPBELL, who had seven in 1980 ... Adrian has seven runs this season of 50 yards or more, tied with BARRY SANDERS' total in 1997. ... JARED ALLEN has four safeties, which is tied for the NFL record. ... KEVIN WILLIAMS and ANTOINE WINFIELD have four defensive TD's, tied for most in team lore.

-- Adrian: Has 1,103 rushing yds. on first down alone, which would rank 10th overall this year. ... He has 1,313 rushing yards since week seven, the same total ARIAN FOSTER has all season. ... He has 20 runs of at least 20 yards this year. CJ SPILLER is second with 11. ... He has 909 rushing yards after first contact, the same amount of total yards STEVEN JACKSON has all season. ... He has at least 10 TD's every season of his career. ... He is 294 rushing yards shy of ERIC DICKERSON'S single-season record of 2,105 set in 1984. ... The last nine games Adrian has 1,313 rushing yards. Ponder has passed for 1,093 during that same span.

-- CHAD GREENWAY leads the NFL in tackles with 176.

-- CHRISTIAN BALLARD'S lone career sack came at St. Louis.

-- ANDRE JOHNSON has played the Vikings twice, going for 16 catches, 232 yards and three TD's. ... He's the only player in NFL lore to have at least 60 receptions his first eight seasons.

-- Houston C CHRIS MYERS made the Pro Bowl last year, the only Texan OL in history to make the Pro Bowl.

-- Foster leads the NFL with 16 TD's (14 rushing).

-- Foster's 14 rushing TD's all have come in the red zone.

-- Foster has 49 TD's in 49 games played.

-- QB MATT SCHAUB is 26-12 at home as a starter and has won 16 of his last 18 starts.

-- Schaub has been sacked 20 times, second fewest in the NFL.

-- CHRIS COOK returns after missing six games due to a wrist injury. He still is tied for the team lead with 15 passes defensed and has zero interceptions during his career.

-- ANTOINE WINFIELD has 11 TFL's.

-- The Texans have scored 30 or more points six times this year and average 28.1 PPG, third best in the NFL.

-- Houston is 6-and-1 at home and can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win.

-- Houston RT RYAN HARRIS played at Cretin-Durham Hall.

-- JJ WATT leads the Texans in tackles, has 19 1/2 sacks, 33 TFL's, three FF's and also leads them with 15 passes defensed. Just amazing.

-- Of JJ Watt's 15 PBU's five have been intercepted and four have led to scores.

-- Rookie OLB WHITNEY MERCILUS, the 26th overall pick in the draft, has six sacks. He led D1 FB last year at Illinois with 16.

-- OLB CONNOR BARWIN switched from DE to OLB last year and had 11 1/2 sacks. He has three this year and 12 TFL's.

-- CB JONATHAN JOSEPH had a 52-yard pick six versus Baltimore.

-- S DANIEAL MANNING spent six years with the Bears and has three FF's this year.

-- Adrian averages 129.4 RYPG and has averaged 178 RYPG on the road the last four games.

-- Eighteen of the 30 sacks on Ponder have come on the road.

-- The Vikings are 5-and-1 when Christian doesn't throw an interception.

-- Minnesota has not allowed a kick return passed the 25 yard line since Oct. 7, a span of nine games.

-- DEVIN AROMASHODU was on the Texans' practice squad in 2007.

-- Houston ST stud BRYAN BRAMAN has blocked two punts this year, including one for a TD last week versus Indy.

-- The Vikings have failed to score in the fourth quarter six of the last eight games and have been outscored in the final period during that span, 55-21.

-- JARIUS WRIGHT has zero TD's four consecutive games.

-- Walsh hit three FG's from 50 plus last week, tying an NFL record for a game. He is 8 of 8 from 50 and beyond.

-- Houston has allowed just three rushing TD's.

-- Houston has 42 sacks, second most in the NFL. It sacked ANDREW LUCK five times last game.

-- The Texans have allowed 13 passing TD's the last five games.