NFC FIRST LOOK: THE SECOND ROUND

SUNDAY

Arizona (10-7) at Minnesota (15-1)

Time: 1:15 p.m.

TV: Channel 11

* How they got here: Arizona claimed the last wild-card spot in the NFC and upset Dallas, 20-7; Minnesota won the NFC Central.

* 1998 meetings: None. The teams last met in 1997, when Minnesota won, 20-19. The Vikings have won the last three meetings, but the Cardinals lead the overall series, 8-7.

* About Arizona: First, the Cardinals swept away the team’s negative history. Then they accomplished what even die-hard fans considered unthinkable--a first-round playoff victory over the Cowboys at Dallas. Now they face a team many consider the favorite to win the Super Bowl--the 15-1 Vikings. Coach Vince Tobin said it best Sunday: “We’ve still got work to do. We’re not in a celebrating mood.”

* About Minnesota: Unless Randy Moss shrinks by a foot before the game, he will be the key man for the Vikings, who have a lot of playoff ghosts to put behind them.

HOW THEY COMPARE

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CATEGORY ARI MIN Points scored 20.3 34.8 Points allowed 23.6 18.5 Rushing offense 101.7 121.0 Passing offense 217.6 270.5 Total offense 319.3 391.5 Rushing defense 124.3 100.9 Passing defense 204.8 215.8 Total defense 329.1 316.6

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