Vikings

We have a new place kicker. He'll last as long as he makes his extra points. At this point, they are all inter-changable.  Really, in a league where most games between good teams are settled by 6 points or less, kickers are THE deciding factor. If they make their 52 yard field goal and we miss ours. And we miss an extra point, too, we'll lose by seven points. The great kickers don't miss that often. Most kickers, like ours, miss just often enough for their team to lose.

The Vikings are predicted to lose this weekend against Arizona, and then they face the Lions, at Detroit, on Thanksgiving Day for the early game. There's a very good chance they'll be below .500 with six straight losses shortly after we finish our big Thursday meal. You west coast fans? The game starts at 9:30 a.m. Set your alarms.