Six weeks ago, it would not have been surprising to see Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Tice running off copies of his résumé at Kinko's.
Tice's club had just been thumped by Carolina. In that game, starting quarterback Daunte Culpepper suffered a season-ending injury.
That was preceded by a series of bad blows for Tice, which began in the offseason when the team's superstar, wide receiver Randy Moss, was traded for Oakland.
Tice himself was fined in the offseason for scalping Super Bowl tickets. Insert your own joke here.
Running back Onterrio Smith, the team's leading runner in 2004, was suspended for the season for violating the league's drug policy. Smith was caught in an airport with a Whizzenator, a device intended to help someone pass a drug test. Yeah, go ahead and toss in another joke here, while you're at it.
And shortly after the season started, the Hennepin County Sheriff's office announced it is investigating several Vikings players for allegedly taking part in sexual misconduct on a cruise ship.
The loss at Carolina left Minnesota drowning in the NFC North with a 2-5 record, and Tice with few options on how to get the team shipshape. The Vikings in the Capital One commercials were having more success than these guys.
Culpepper's injury left Brad Johnson with the unenviable task of trying to save the season. Johnson, a 14-year veteran who began his career with the Vikings, returned in 2005 after four seasons with Tampa Bay, where he won a Super Bowl in 2002.
Johnson led the team to a home win against Detroit, and an improbable road win against the Giants in which, frankly, he didn't do much. The team scored 24 points, largely thanks to an interception return for a touchdown, a kickoff return for a score and a punt return for another. It was the first time in NFL history a team scored on three such plays in one game. Still Johnson did lead Minnesota downfield in the waning seconds for the game-winning field goal.
Then came a Monday night win at Green Bay where Johnson repeated the effort, bringing the Vikings into field-goal range in the last two minutes.
Three up, three down, and suddenly Minnesota was back at .500 and in contention.
Tack on tidy wins against Cleveland at home and at Detroit last weekend, and the Vikings find themselves knocking on the playoff door.
Most impressively, Johnson's passing statistics have improved each week. After throwing for only 136 yards in his first start, he has followed with totals of 144, 196, 207 and 256 yards.
And not one sex misconduct allegation, drug test failure or ticket-scalping scandal to boot.
Lance Burton (21-18)
Vikings -7 vs. Rams
Chiefs +2 1/2 at Cowboys
Falcons -10 vs. Saints
Danny Gans (19-20)
Browns +12 1/2 vs. Bengals
Chiefs +2 1/2 vs. Cowboys
Packers -5 1/2 vs. Lions
Oscar Goodman (19-20)
Vikings -7 vs. Rams
Colts -7 1/2 at Jaguars
Giants -6 at Eagles
Clint Holmes (18-19-2)
Redskins -3 1/2 at Cardinals
Bills -3 vs. Patriots
Chiefs +2 1/2 at Cowboys
Kevin Janison (22-16-1)
Raiders-Jets under 37
Dolphins +14 at Chargers
Broncos-Ravens under 40
Mark & Mercedes (19-18-2)
Bears +5 1/2 at Steelers
Patriots -3 at Bills
Chiefs +2 1/2 at Cowboys
Wayne Newton (25-13-1)
Cowboys-Chiefs over 42 1/2
Jaguars +7 1/2 vs. Colts
Giants -6 vs. Eagles
Penn & Teller (17-22)
Steelers -5 1/2 vs. Bears
Seahawks -16 vs. 49ers
Patriots -3 at Bills
Rita Rudner (19-17-3)
Colts -7 1/2 at Jaguars
Redskins -3 1/2 at Cardinals
Giants -6 at Eagles
Sal DeFilippo picks Vikings -7, Panthers -5 1/2, and Broncos-Ravens under 40.