(My Sportsbook) - The Minnesota Vikings want to make good on a guarantee made by head coach Mike Tice before the season started. Tice stated his team would rebound from its six-win campaign in 2002 to go 10-6 and make the playoffs. With a win over Arizona in Week 17, the Vikings will make their head coach look like a genius.

"We control our own destiny," said Tice. "That's all we could ask for."

The NFC North is open heading into Week 17. Minnesota can clinch the division title with a win, or a Green Bay loss, or a tie plus a Green Bay tie. The Vikings can earn a postseason berth with a Seattle loss, or a tie plus a Seattle tie.

The Vikings bounced back from a narrow road loss to Chicago with a huge effort last week against one of the AFC's best teams, the Kansas City Chiefs. Minnesota racked up 469 yards of offense and a season-high 45 points en route to a 25-point victory over the Chiefs.

"I'm very proud of our football team for that great effort," Tice said. "After screwing it up last week in Chicago we felt like we needed to make up for the poor performance. I told the guys at halftime that [KC] is a championship team, they would make a run at us, they did and our guys hung in there."

Daunte Culpepper bounced back to complete 20-of-29 passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns -- two of which went to Randy Moss. Moss finished with seven catches for 111 yards. With a 14-yard reception early in the first quarter, Moss became only the seventh player in NFL history with 100 receptions in consecutive seasons. Moss' 77th TD reception moved him into second place all- time in Vikings history, passing Bill Brown. He also became the 22nd player in NFL history with at least 76 touchdowns.

"It didn't matter who was covering him," Tice said of Moss' Week 16 effort. "He sprained his ankle, it kind of took him out of the game a little bit, but he stayed out there and blocked and did a nice job."

Blocking was a huge key in Minnesota's impressive victory over Kansas City. The mammoth offensive line paved the way for rookie RB Onterrio Smith to rush for 146 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries. It was Smith's second straight 140-plus yard game, as he gained a career-best 148 yards in Chicago two weeks ago.

"[Smith] had a great day. He ran the ball hard," Tice said. "He's got great vision. He's a one-move guy. He seems to accelerate through it. He's probably not going to take it 80 miles an hour like Mike [Bennett] can. Mike had a couple good runs, we pulled him out when we had a good lead. It wouldn't have been very bright to leave him in there and have him get injured. But Smith ran the ball. He's a good running back. I think we have three really good running backs."

Smith, who labeled himself the "Steal of the Draft" because he slipped all the way to the Vikings in the fourth round, is averaging more than five yards per carry and has rushed for 294 yards in the last two weeks.

"I'm pretty confident. I always play with a high level of confidence so that's never been a question, but I'm a lot more comfortable now," Smith said. "It took me a little bit of time to sit back and watch things develop and for me to learn the system a little bit, but now I could jump right in there and we wouldn't lose a beat."

STANDING TALL: Minnesota's defense has been inconsistent all season long. The unit is vulnerable against good offenses, but it has managed to come up with big plays all year. Last week against Kansas City's potent attack, the Vikes held their own. Minny's defense pitched a shutout in the first half and held Priest Holmes to 55 rushing yards.