"Really, you'd rather have control of it in your hands, and I can't think of any better way than to be playing the world champions here on the last weekend of the year for the right to get into the playoffs and go on," Childress said of Sunday's game against the New York Giants.

Although the Vikings and Bears are tied for the division lead at 9-6, Minnesota holds the tiebreaker advantage. A Vikings win or a Bears loss to the Houston Texans would clinch the division title for the Vikings.

Childress said the Vikings have worked to put themselves in position to win the division on their own but called the Giants a "formidable opponent." New York has clinched home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, but there has been no indication from the Giants that they will limit the play of their starters Sunday.

"History will tell you that they will come in here and play their tails off. They want momentum as they go into the postseason," Childress said of the Giants, "so we don't expect anything but their best shot. We want to make sure we give them our best shot."

Childress said no decision has been made on whether Bears-Texans score updates would be shown at the Metrodome during the game.

Frerotte '100 percent': Gus Frerotte is more nimble with his words, apparently, than his feet. The Vikings quarterback continues to dodge questions about the exact nature of his back injury.

A Yahoo! Sports report on Monday stated that Frerotte suffered a fracture in the Tampa Bay game Nov. 16 but that he continued to play through the pain, which would presumably explain why his play declined. Frerotte seemed more erratic and wary of getting hit instead of standing in the pocket and throwing under pressure.

Columnist Michael Silver stated that Frerotte suffered a second fracture, called a transverse process, in the Detroit game Dec. 7. Silver, who has a long history with Frerotte and lobbied for him to start, wrote Frerotte has felt "shafted" in the past with other coaches and hasn't received a clear explanation why he lost his starting job to Tarvaris Jackson after going 7-3 as the starter before being knocked out by the injury in the Detroit game.

Coach Brad Childress started Jackson at Arizona and against Atlanta. Silver didn't quote Frerotte but essentially sounded like he was relaying, via his column, that Frerotte felt wronged.

Asked whether the Yahoo column accurately portrayed his feelings, Frerotte said he hadn't talked to Silver. So that doesn't represent how you feel necessarily?

"I didn't say that, but, you know, I haven't talked to him," Frerotte said. "I think he kind of just wrote that on his own."

Frerotte wouldn't confirm he's suffered two fractures. He said he's ready to play again.

"Ready to go," Frerotte said. "One hundred percent. I feel really good. I'm not going to feel any different two or three weeks from now than I am right now."

Jackson will start Sunday against the Giants. If the Vikings win, they clinch the North title.

Speaking generally about his frustration about not being able to help his team down the stretch because he isn't on the field, Frerotte said: "It's very frustrating for me; it's tough. You play with these guys all year and you put a lot of sweat equity into it. Win or lose, you'd like to be a part of it, no matter what happens."

Frerotte said it's a "tough thing" to lose his job to an injury, but he acknowledged that Jackson has played well as his replacement. Frerotte's tone addressing the issue never came across as though he was upset. He was calm, as usual.

"It's ultimately coach's call," Frerotte said. "Coach is making that decision, and this is how we're going to approach it."

Berrian rested: This will be a merry Christmas for receiver Bernard Berrian. Although he did not practice Wednesday, his left ankle injury is not considered serious.

"It should be OK," Berrian said.

He was injured early in the third quarter against Atlanta but returned after getting his ankle retaped.

"When I first came off, I thought it was worse than it ended up being," Berrian said.

Along with Frerotte, the following players were limited in practice: defensive end Jared Allen (knee), right tackle Artis Hicks (partially torn triceps), kick returners Maurice Hicks (back) and Darius Reynaud (foot) and safety Darren Sharper (knee).

"He's moving around just fine," Childress said of Frerotte. "He took most of the snaps with the scout team today, he and (John David) Booty."