On the surface, it seems Sunday's wild-card contest between the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings should hinge on Adrian Peterson's performance. If he runs wild, the Vikings should control the contest. But if the Eagles can keep him in check, they should prevail. There's another player, however, who's performance will probably be even more critical, and his name isn't Donovan McNabb. It's McNabb's counterpart on the Vikings, Tavaris Jackson.

Jackson has actually been a pleasant surprise down the stretch, after returning to the lineup following an early-season benching. But you know the Eagles, who ranked third in the league in yards allowed, are going to throw everything they can at the inexperienced youngster. And the outcome of this contest could very well be decided by how well Jackson handles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson's complex blitz packages.

Being a power running team with the league's leading rusher, Minnesota will try to protect Jackson by keeping him out of a lot of third-and-long situations and make the situations manageable for him when they do put the ball in the air. Under those circumstances, Jackson can do an adequate job. But if the Vikings should happen to fall behind, they may have to rely on Jackson's arm. And that's probably not in their best interest at this point of Jackson's career.

So that means Peterson must be on his game. And he has to start holding onto the football otherwise the Vikings might as well just go home. The margin of error this team has is already razor thin. Turning the ball over with any frequency at all will be fatal to their title hopes, and Peterson has put the ball on the ground with some regularity lately.

The Vikings also need Big Pat Williams back in the lineup, solidifying the middle of their defensive line. Minnesota has been the best team against the run the past two seasons, and they are especially tough to run against up the middle because of the Williams Wall. If a team is going to have success on the ground against them, it's most likely to be outside the tackles.

Fortunately for the Eagles, they have a running back in Brian Westbrook who has the speed to get outside. The Eagles can also counter the Vikings run defense by getting the ball to Westbrook through the air using screens and slants and getting him out past the initial line of defense.

One critical battle to watch, Sunday, is the one between Eagles left tackle Tra Thomas and Vikings defensive end Jared Allen. Minnesota's defensive line is so strong that it's tough to consistently double team any one player. So that means Thomas will be isolated on Allen on numerous occasions during the contest. He didn't allow a sack to Cowboys OLB DeMarcus Ware last Sunday, and he has his hands full again this week. The winner of this battle could shift the balance of power to his team.

Having said all that, to me this contest comes down to experience at quarterback. The Eagles have it and the Vikings don't. Granted, Jackson has probably played the best four-game stretch of his career. But he's never played in the postseason and he's a very inexperienced signal-caller going against one of the best defenses in the league. That's rarely a recipe for postseason success.

And Jackson isn't the only quarterback who has been hot. Since coming back from his mid-season benching, McNabb has completed more than 64 percent of his passes and thrown nine touchdowns to just one interception. And he's playing like a guy who has something to prove.

So I envision him bringing his team into this game with a purpose. And if head coach Andy Reid can resist the urge to abandon the run -- even if it is ineffective -- and keep the offense somewhat balanced, his squad should come away with a win in Minneapolis.

Prediction: Philadelphia 31, Minnesota 13