Carter Has Big Day as Vikings Win, 38-7

MINNEAPOLIS —  Anthony Carter took his foot out of his mouth and used it to leave Houston defenders in the lurch.

On Tuesday, the Minnesota Vikings’ two-time Pro Bowl receiver said he was so upset with his contract that Coach Jerry Burns should bench him because “I won’t put my best foot forward.”

On Sunday, his best foot--and his other foot, too--ran circles around the Oilers.

Carter caught seven passes for 123 yards, scored Minnesota’s first touchdown and set up its next two. He even had a 13-yard run on a reverse as the Vikings opened the season with a 38-7 victory over the Oilers.

“I never had any question or doubt about A.C.,” Burns said. “He may have said some things out of frustration, but I love the guy. The guy’s a hell of a football player. He played out there today like a guy possessed.”

“A little bit,” Carter said when asked if he did, in fact, play like a man possessed. “Coming in with that first play, I guess (Burns) wanted to see if I was going to put my best foot forward.”

On Wednesday, Carter apologized to Burns and the team. Wade Wilson accepted the apology and said he would throw early and often to Carter. He did, hitting Carter for 14 yards on the Vikings’ first offensive play.

After that, the rest of the first half was “The A.C. Show.” Carter, who missed the first month of training camp because he wanted his $450,000 salary doubled, did all his damage in the first 30 minutes, leaving because he twisted his ankle slightly.

“If I can put it anywhere near him, he comes down with it,” Wilson said. “That’s what we were missing in preseason. He showed what kind of dominant player he can be.”

As dominant as Carter was on offense, the Vikings’ line was on defense.

Houston quarterback Warren Moon was harassed all day by tackles Keith Millard and Henry Thomas and ends Chris Doleman and Al Noga. He was sacked eight times for 44 yards and completed only eight of 20 passes for 69 yards--his worst game since going five for 23 for 68 yards against Cleveland in 1986.

“That’s probably the best defensive line we’ll see all year,” Houston guard Mike Munchak said. “They were just taking turns making the plays.”