By MARK CRAIG, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees?

It's the MVP choice with no wrong answer. A two-headed coin. Loaded dice locked on a Lucky Seven in the hands of either shooter.

Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers?

Might as well be pepperoni or sausage. Tap or bottle.

. "There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come. ... Our time is now."

That was the message from coach Brad Childress that was attached to each player's locker stall when the Minnesota Vikings played the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship Game at the Superdome on Jan. 24, 2010.

One of the "bold predictions" here on Week 1 said that Indianapolis would go 5-11 without Peyton Manning.

Turns out that was giving way too much credit to Peyton's lifeless teammates. The winless Colts would have to go 5-3 the rest of the way to make that prediction come true.

Moving kickoffs from the 30-yard-line to the 35 this season has put a lot more pressure on NFL kick returners to think before they run.

Most teams are coaching players not to return anything beyond 5 yards deep in the end zone. But there's been a lot of hesitation among returners because that's sometimes easier said than done.

The NFL has evolved in so many positive ways. Tackling isn't one of them.

"Obviously, tackling today is different; very much so," said Vikings linebackers coach Mike Singletary, who made 1,488 tackles during a 12-year Hall of Fame career with the Chicago Bears (1981-92). "When I played, there was more fundamental technique used."

. Knock on wood, folks. This is a story about the Minnesota Vikings and an amazing absence of distractions, expectations, hyperbole, chaos, Love Boats and ESPN camera trucks stalking Winter Park.

It's the fall of 1987. NFL players are on strike and Houston Oilers coach Jerry Glanville is sitting in a room with officers from the Houston Police Department. They're about to watch a surveillance video of two alleged Oilers leaving the picket line to smash the windows out on a bus that brought Houston's replacement players to their first practice.

NFL fans are dying to know the drop-dead date at which the owners and players must come together to save a full 2011 season. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell won't offer one. We will. Sept. 3.

It takes three to five years to accurately judge an NFL draft pick. It's also unfair to critique a team's draft class until we see what happens when (if?) the league's free agency and trading periods open.

Well, that certainly was one weird night for Blaine Gabbert.

The Missouri quarterback went into the NFL draft thinking the Washington Redskins would trade up from No. 10 to get him. Ten picks into the draft, the Redskins traded down with Gabbert still on the board.