But he has one grander goal in mind.

"It would be a great, great achievement," Williams said. "But winning this game, to be in the big dance, will trump anything. They can rush for 300 yards, as long as we win the game.

"That's the biggest thing."

The Vikings, who have allowed just 83 fewer yards than the Pittsburgh Steelers' run defense, are facing a team that steamrolled the Carolina Panthers for 301 rushing yards last Sunday.

Though running back duos are en vogue in the NFL, the Giants boast a three-headed backfield that is the league's top unit.

"They might be the best, but we've played a bunch of good ones, and we pretty much smashed a bunch of them," Williams said.

The Steelers' defense has plenty of potential to leapfrog the Vikings'. Pittsburgh is No. 1 overall and against the pass, so it can sweep all three key categories with a strong performance against the 24th-rated run offense of the Cleveland Browns.

The Vikings held their own against the Atlanta Falcons, which had been No. 1 entering their game last Sunday at the Metrodome, limiting them to 98 yards. The Falcons are now No. 5 in run offense.

The Dallas Cowboys, from 1966 to 1969, were No. 1 in run defense for four consecutive seasons.

For a second consecutive week, the Vikings will have to defend the run against a No. 1-rated unit without arguably its No. 1 run defender, Pat Williams.

The Giants may also be without their leading rusher; Brandon Jacobs, who leads his team in rushing yards (1,089) and touchdowns (15), is questionable because of a knee injury. But backup Derrick Ward is just 52 rushing yards shy of 1,000, and he ripped the Panthers for 215 yards.

"I mean, you always want to play their best," Kevin Williams said. "But if they want to put their backups in there, then we'll smash them, too."

Hoping to stay: Vikings safety Darren Sharper obviously doesn't want his tenure to end. But the free agent-to-be in the offseason does know this: his choice is to finish his career in Minnesota.

"That would be nice," Sharper said. "I think we've built something here, and I know I've been accepted by the fans."

He enjoys his teammates, he knows the system and he recognizes the Vikings are a playoff-caliber team.

A four-time Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection, Sharper's crowning achievement would be to win a Super Bowl.

"That's the only thing I want to do," he said. "That's why I want to get it done this year. Can't think too much about next year."

Whether he will stay is unclear. The Vikings invested a second-round pick in Tyrell Johnson, who capably filled in for veteran Madieu Williams, who was signed to a six-year contract last offseason that included $13 million in guarantees.

But Johnson primarily backs up Williams, not Sharper.

Berrian looking good: Vikings receiver Bernard Berrian is listed as questionable because of an ankle injury, but he was optimistic about playing.

"I just needed to rest up earlier in the week, make sure it was all healed up," Berrian said. "I didn't want to keep practicing all the way through it and then not be able to play in this game. I need to play in this game."

Berrian said he isn't sure whether his ailing toe will need surgery.

In other injury news, cornerback Cedric Griffin missed practice because of flu-like symptoms but is listed as probable for the game. Artis Hicks is questionable, but his chances look better than in recent weeks, because he was limited in practice the past three days.

Briefly: Pat Williams said he is still on course to return, if the Vikings play in a first-round playoff game.

Staff writer Rick Alonzo contributed to this report.