EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) – Brian Williams and the rest of Minnesota’s secondary struggled during the Vikings’ four-game losing streak.

Four interceptions in a victory over the Detroit Lions got them – and the team – back on track.

“That really does wonders for your confidence,” coach Mike Tice said. “Winning fixes things.”

Minnesota’s 24-14 win Sunday was sealed by a pair of late interception returns for touchdowns by Corey Chavous and Williams – who was named the NFC’s defensive player of the week on Tuesday.

“I just like seeing the looks and smiles on everyone’s faces,” Chavous said.

Williams picked off Detroit quarterback Joey Harrington three times and has five interceptions on the season. Chavous leads the NFL with eight and Brian Russell has seven. Those three account for 20 of the Vikings’ league-high 22 INTs.

With their offense uncharacteristically struggling against the Lions, the defense made up for four straight poor performances.

“We didn’t do anything differently,” said Williams, a second-year cornerback. “Our coaches stressed getting back to our technique, and I think that sunk in with everybody,” Williams said. “We got back to … feeling like when we were on our six-game winning streak.”

Which was soundly defending the run – and taking the ball away from the other team.

“That’s what you have to have,” defensive coordinator George O’Leary said.

It would be difficult to find a better example than the Vikings (7-4) of how critical turnovers are toward NFL success. Last year, they led the league in giveaways and finished 6-10.

They’ve forced 22 turnovers – and given up only seven – in their seven victories this season.

In their four losses? Just four takeaways and 10 turnovers.

No surprise, then, that Tice harped on his defense last week to come up with some big plays.

“He talked about it all the time – at team meetings and everything,” Williams said.

Any secondary, of course, is only as good as its defensive front. Though the Vikings didn’t sack Harrington – a tougher task against West Coast, short-passing offenses like the Lions – they forced him into several poor throws with good pressure.

As O’Leary likes to say, they made Harrington claustrophobic in the pocket. “I thought the coverage was tight, the pocket was squeezed and for the most part the awareness was there,” O’Leary said.

Williams, too, was quick to credit a strong pass rush.

“They were in his face getting hits on him and that’s where it all started,” Williams said. “We were in good coverage and the ball came our way.”

The Vikings’ defensive backs face a strong test this Sunday against St. Louis and its speedy offense, a team that has given them great problems in the past. The Rams won a January 2000 playoff game 49-37 and beat Minnesota 40-29 the next season.

Quarterback Marc Bulger has been struggling, but Torry Holt leads the league in yards receiving and running back Marshall Faulk is healthy and back in prime form.

Tice likes his team’s matchups on offense, but the key to victory will come on the other side of the ball.

“I don’t think we’ll be intimidated,” O’Leary said. “We should be fine. Our guys are playing with confidence again.”

That’s something that’s been missing for most of November.

“We felt like we let the team down a little bit the last four,” Russell said.

AP-ES-11-25-03 1755EST