The Arizona Cardinals lead the Minnesota Vikings in a game that will remind nobody of playoff football, giving them the chance to pull into a three-way tie at 4-4 should the Seattle Seahawks lose this afternoon. Two return touchdowns and a Brett Favre interception in the end zone have earned them a 24-10 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Derek Anderson, returned to the starting role after an interlude with Max Hall, has had one of his better games of the season, standing at 14 of 22 with 173 yards and one touchdown. Most of the offense has come courtesy Larry Fitzgerald, who has six receptions for 101 yards. Tim Hightower has gotten most of the reps at running back, sitting at 11 carries for 39 yards.
But the Cardinals' offense has come, once more, courtesy two return touchdowns, including one on a Percy Harvin fumble at the kickoff after halftime.
For the Vikings Brett Favre has been solid but not quite perfect enough — he's 19 of 25 for 233 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He was hit just prior to throwing a pass that was intercepted in the end zone, which led to the Cardinals opening a two-touchdown lead. Harvin has eight receptions for 120 yards, but Adrian Peterson has been completely neutralized by one of the worst run-defenses in football — he has 10 carries for just 38 yards, although he also caught a 12-yard pass for the Vikings' only touchdown.