The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS - Miami coach Dave Wannstedt had a lobster trap hung from the ceiling of the Dolphins' locker room this week. The lesson? Don't fall into the trap of looking past the Minnesota Vikings.

"It's just a little reminder that nine wins doesn't guarantee us anything," Wannstedt said.

The Dolphins can clinch the AFC East if they beat the Vikings on Saturday and if the New England Patriots lose or tie against the New York Jets.

"Dave has a creative way to get that point across," defensive end Jason Taylor said.

The Dolphins (9-5) are tied for the best record in the conference, but they haven't yet clinched a playoff spot in the bunched-up AFC. They wrap up the regular season at New England on Dec. 29.

"It puts more pressure on us," Taylor said. "Would we like to be in the position where we are 12-2 or 11-3 and already in the playoffs? Sure, but that is not the situation."

The Vikings (4-10), coming off a 32-31 victory at New Orleans, are a dangerous team with little to lose. They've overcome their turnover problems, and their defense - though still ranked 29th in the league - is playing a lot better.

Quarterback Daunte Culpepper is having the worst of his three seasons as the Vikings' starter, but he played one of the finest games of his career against New Orleans.

"As far as managing the game, controlling the ball, minimizing the mistakes, I think it was my best game," Culpepper said. "It's a reflection of my team and everybody concentrating to get the job done."

Michael Bennett is second in the NFC in rushing, and Randy Moss - named to his fourth Pro Bowl in five years - is second in receptions.

The Vikings' offense is first in the NFC, but it'll find one of its biggest challenges on Saturday against a speedy Dolphins defense that should be even faster on the artificial turf.

Miami put five defensive players in the Pro Bowl, and Taylor leads the NFL with 17 sacks. He'll line up across rookie left tackle Bryant McKinnie.

"You've got to know where he is," Vikings offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said. "It's a challenge for us to make sure we neutralize him."

The spotlight won't be on Taylor, though.

Cris Carter makes his return to the Metrodome with the Dolphins after 12 seasons as a record-setting receiver with Minnesota.

He caught six passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns for the Vikings in 1990 in his first game back in Philadelphia after being cut by the Eagles.

Carter probably won't be that productive on Saturday, but if Minnesota loads up to stop Ricky Williams, as Oakland did last week, Jay Fiedler and the Dolphins' passing game could have another big day.

Fiedler, the Vikings' third-string quarterback in 1998, is 28-11 as a starter.

Carter expects to see a handful of his old purple No. 80 jerseys in the stands on Saturday.

"I think when people in that type of a community spend their hard-earned money over the course of 12 years, they felt like they got their money's worth," Carter said. "I didn't cheat them."

He still keeps in regular contact with several members of the organization.

"They knew that they were going to struggle," Carter said. "The team knows that they don't have the talent that we used to have. They are going through a transition."

The Vikings certainly will find it strange seeing Carter on the opposite sideline in Miami's aqua-and-orange.

"Cris is going to be Cris," Culpepper said. "He's going to be trying to make plays and do what he can to win. Because he's coming back here, he wants to definitely show what he can do, but we're going to do our best to stop him."

EAGLES-COWBOYS: The division is wrapped up, but Philadelphia has a lot left to accomplish over the final two regular-season games: securing home-field advantage for the playoffs and setting a franchise record for wins.

Emmitt Smith and coach Dave Campo remember when Dallas had similar goals within reach.

The Cowboys' sights are lower now. Tonight against the Eagles (11-3), Smith and Campo go into what could be their final game at Texas Stadium trying to keep Dallas (5-9) from hitting 10 losses for a third straight season.

"I play to win the game," Smith said. "Winning the game will secure any man's job, and if you perform well, it'll help secure your own job. That's the way I look at it.

"I think Campo's done a good job of trying to keep the team together. At some point, we as players have to grow and mature and understand what's being asked and do it correctly."

Smith's status is uncertain because of his contract and age. His $7 million deal for next season could be rewritten, but he can't do anything about turning 34 in May.

The Eagles have won five straight games despite changing quarterbacks from Donovan McNabb to Koy Detmer to A.J. Feeley. They also clinched a second straight NFC East title.

"I think they enjoyed it that evening, but nobody came in with their (NFC East champion) hat on, or shirts," coach Andy Reid said. "... It's time to move on, and I think everybody understands that."

49ERS-CARDINALS: When Garrison Hearst joins his San Francisco teammates on the field for today's game at Arizona, he will remember fondly the day the Cardinals cut him. And he will have a little empathy for them.

"I know how they feel," he said. "I've been there before."

The Cardinals drafted Hearst out of Georgia in the first round in 1993, but he was cut in 1995 so Arizona could pay for the signing of first-round draft pick Simeon Rice, now with Tampa Bay.

In what has become a depressing pattern for Arizona, both Hearst and Rice are gearing up for the playoffs, while the Cardinals (5-9) are slogging through another losing season.

Asked about his memories in Arizona, Hearst said, "losing, being unhappy."

While several banged-up 49ers, including wide receiver Terrell Owens, may sit out the game because it's meaningless in terms of playoff position for San Francisco (9-5), Hearst plans to play.

"We've got to play to win, bottom line," he said. "Being in the NFL, you've got to be motivated."

Owens autographed a ball in the end zone with a felt-tip marker after a touchdown catch against Seattle earlier this season. To thank the San Francisco receiver for the free advertising, Sharpie, the maker of markers, will launch an advertising campaign for its new metallic marker.

The print ad shows a Christmas stocking with the marker clipped to the top and the name "Terrell" embroidered on it. The company also will donate $25,000 to the Alzheimer's Association on behalf of Owens, whose grandfather is fighting the disease.

BEARS: Quarterback Jim Miller's season ended when Chicago placed him on its injured list.

Miller, bothered by tendinitis in his shoulder and elbow, is the 11th Bear and sixth starter to go on injured reserve this year. He plans to have surgery in the offseason.

LIONS: Rookie quarterback Joey Harrington, who underwent a procedure to fix an abnormal heartbeat earlier this week, complained Friday that he's frustrated and bored sitting out the Lions' final two games.

"I don't like it. I don't like the fact that they're going to be playing in Atlanta without me," he said.

Harrington said he will be on a treadmill Thursday for a stress test and will stay with the team for the last two games.

STEELERS: Punter Josh Miller will have season-ending shoulder surgery and be replaced by Tom Rouen, a former Denver standout. Rouen, released recently by the New York Giants, averaged 42.5 yards per punt, with a 32-yard net average and two blocked punts in 10 games this season.

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