Vikings will play playoff game Jan. 17 in sold out Metrodome

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EDEN PRAIRIE - The Minnesota Vikings will have their playoff opener on Sunday, January 17th at noon at the Metrodome. The NFL announced the date-and-time yesterday. The Vikings earned a first-round bye, but they’re not sure yet who they’ll play in the divisional round.

If Dallas beats Philadelphia on Saturday night, the Cowboys will play the Vikings. Otherwise, Minnesota will face the winner of Sunday’s Green Bay-Arizona contest. The Vikes' have not won a playoff game since 2004, and it’s been nine years since they won a post-season contest at home. The Metrodome is sold out for the contest.

All is quiet today at Winter Park after Vikings coach Brad Childress gave the team and his staff the rest of the week off. Childress says everyone is due back for practice this coming Sunday, and he doesn't expect the lay-off to have any adverse affects on the players. Childress says at this late stage of the football season, and especially with a large number of veteran players, it's important that everyone take a physical and mental break from the game.

Make it nine Vikings on the NFC's Pro Bowl roster, with rookie Percy Harvin added as a kick returner. Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson was originally selected to return kickoffs, but since he was also picked as a wide receiver for the NFL's annual all-star game, a spot opened up on the roster. Harvin finished fourth in the NFL with a 27-point-five yard kick return average. He returned two kicks for touchdowns, and his 2,081 combined yards in kickoff returns, receiving yards and rushing yards set a team record.

The Pro Bowl is January 31st at Dolphin Stadium in southeast Florida, a week before the Super Bowl at the same site.

Tags: mn sports, vikings