Vikings prepare to face the noise in New Orleans

MIAMI (Reuters) - The Minnesota Vikings know to expect a deafening atmosphere when they take on the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship game at the Louisiana Superdome on Sunday, but insist they will be able to cope.

Such is the volume inside the roofed Superdome that instructions from coach to quarterback and between the quarterback and his line are almost impossible in a traditional manner.

"We''ve practiced with noise piped in here," said Vikings head coach Brad Childress. "I''m not sure if I, or our players, have to sign a waiver in terms of any future hearing loss based on how we''re going to prepare today. You kind of ramp up to it, and do the communicating part."

Childress recalled that during his time as quarterbacks coach with Philadelphia, the Eagles featured in an NFC Championship game in 2002 at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis where there was also incredible noise.

"I had to hand signal the last three plays to Donovan McNabb in a game where I couldn''t hear (head coach) Andy Reid talking in my ear. Donovan couldn''t hear me.

"Communication; that''s the significant part of the challenge. None of those 70,000 people will come on the field and have anything to do with the win or the loss. It''s like the Coliseum. It will be the people in-between the lines," he said.

BIG FACTOR

Vikings quarterback Brett Favre has no doubt that the atmosphere will be a big factor in the game.

"These games, they''re tough anyway, but they''re really tough on the road, because of the noise. Not only are you playing the Saints, but you''re playing the fans, and all of those things work against you," said the 40-year-old.

"I''ll emphasize that during the week. We''ll practice as much like a game as possible with those elements, but there''s no substitute for the game itself," he said.

Running back Adrian Peterson said the Superdome has the highest volume of noise of any stadium he has experienced.