Smith is Vikings’ safety valve

Harrison Smith can be a man of few words and big plays. The Minnesota Vikings safety keeps things simple whenhe’s on the field.

A two-interception night in a 16-0 win Saturday against the host Green Bay Packers left no doubt just how valuable Smith is to one of the best defenses in the league.

Already champions of the NFC North, the Vikings seem to be finishing the regular season strong, with the playoffs approaching and a first-round play off bye within reach.

“We’ll see,” Smith said Saturday night when asked if the defense was peaking. “A shutout’s cool, though.”

It was the first time that Minnesota had held an opponent scoreless since 1993, and the first time it had shut out the Packers since 1971. Smith, as usual, was right in the middle of the action with a teamhigh eight tackles along with two pass deflections. It was the first two-interception game of his career and he has tied a career high with five interceptions heading into next week’s regular-season finale against the Chicago Bears.

Broncos

After a week of uncertainty, Brock Osweiler was the starting at quarterback for Denver against the Washington Redskins. Coach Vance Joseph had refused to name his starter between Osweiler and Paxton Lynch. It was Osweiler’s fourth start and sixth appearance of the season.

Rams

Los Angeles felt the effects of losing Pro Bowl kicker Greg Zuerlein. Sam Ficken, the former Penn State kicker signed to replace Zuerlein when the Rams had to place him on injured reserve, missed his first extra-point attempt in the first quarter. Then, Ficken’s first career field-goal attempt, hit the right upright from 35 yards out.