Vikings Report Card: Team saves its best for last

The Minnesota Vikings know how to finish a season. In the last regular-season game at the Metrodome on Sunday, the Vikings hosted the Green Bay Packers to one of the great games in the history of their rivalry.

It wasn’t perfectly performed, but for drama’s sake it’s has few to match it, as the Vikings outlasted the Packers and earned the opportunity to meet them next Saturday in the playoffs at Lambeau Field. The Vikings completed the turnaround from last season’s franchise-low-tying record of 3-13 with a 10-6 record and gave their fans another game and a lot to be optimistic about.

Offense: A-

It’s hard to give the offense a perfect grade when they came up nine yards short of the single-season rushing record for RB Adrian Peterson, but the offense played one of its top games of the season. Peterson was once again beyond description, as his 199 yards rushing and two touchdowns (one of them through the air) vaulted the Vikings into the postseason. He had help from his QB Christian Ponder -- who, once more, got away with a couple curious throws -- but played his best game of 2012. The receiving corps -- Jarius Wright, Michael Jenkins and Jerome Simpson, in particular -- made some great catches and contributed mightily to the victory. And the offensive line deserved to get the rushing record for stalwart work all season. Previous game's grade: A-

Defense: B-

The Vikings' defense won’t be able to look in the scorebook and circle this game as their best of the season (that happened last week), but considering what was at stake and the opponent, it’s hard to knock it. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and his offense put up 405 yards and 34 points, but the Vikings defense still played well enough to win. They shut down the Packers in the first half while the Vikings offense built a small lead and forced the Packers to play catch up the whole game. The Vikings were a bit short-handed when CB Antoine Winfield had to leave the game with a reinjured broken hand, and Rodgers was able to pick on his replacement Marcus Sherels. Another good performance by DE Everson Griffen (three sacks) and a timely fumble caused by DE Brian Robison gave the unit enough to get over the hump for the win. Previous game's grade: A

Special teams: B+

Another game and another record for rookie K Blair Walsh, who celebrated his Pro Bowl honor by kicking three field goals to tie Gary Anderson at 35 for the single-season team record. His 54-yarder to open the scoring not only gave the Vikings a lead they never relinquished, but it extended Walsh’s NFL record to 10 fields goals of 50-plus yards. Walsh also had touchbacks on five of eight kickoffs. P/H Chris Kluwe made a nice scoop and hold of that long field goal and punted well, averaging 49.3 yards on three punts. The coverage was spotty for the Vikings, despite Packers dynamic return man Randall Cobb being inactive for the game. But a touchdown saving tackle by LS Cullen Loeffler kept the special teams from giving up a big score. As a result, the special teams contributed to the win, as Walsh finished the season where he started (against Jacksonville), by knocking through the game winner as time ran out. Previous game's grade: A

Coaching: A

It wouldn’t be a Packers-Vikings game without something unusual taking place and this contest was no exception. A late-game ruling on a Packers challenge had a typically reserved coach Leslie Frazier at his most animated, as he ran after an official to speak with him about the ruling -- a ruling which he wouldn’t talk about after the game. The game plan on both sides of the ball was creative and effective. A fourth-and-one call was risky but worthwhile. Although Frazier said that nothing was done outside of the structure of the game to get Peterson the record, which was solid coaching, it’s hard not to wish for one more run to see if Peterson could get it. But Frazier stuck to his guns and called for the field goal and the win to get into the playoffs. It’s time to give coach Leslie Frazier a contract extension. Previous game's grade: A

For more Vikings news and notes, follow Joe Oberle on Twitter @CBSVikings and @joeoberle.