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CHICAGO BEARS (6-5) | WK 13 | MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-8-1) |
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Date: | 1 Dec 2013 | Location: | Minneapolis, MN |
Time: | 12:00 PM Central | Stadium: | HHH Metrodome |
TV: | FOX DirecTV Ch 705 | Radio: | Vikings Radio Network XM Ch 228 Sirius Ch 117 |
TV Announcers: | Thom Brenneman Brian Billick | Know Thy Foe: | Windy City Gridiron |
Line: | Even money, O/U 50.5 (thanks to the SB Nation Odds page) | ||
Chris' Prediction: | Vikings 27, Bears 24 | ||
Final Score: |
Here are the ground rules for the Game Threads:
-Thou shalt not link illegal feeds of today's game, or I shall kick thy arse to the curb until the game is over. Do not promote then, do not mention them, do not even hint at them. Thou hast been warned.
-Thou shalt make an attempt to keep the swearing to a minimum. Understandable that it will slip occasionally, but do try to limit it. If you really feel the need to curse, use the spoiler tags to keep it covered up. We'll get the sentiment.
-Thou shalt not feed the trolls. Rather, thou shall simply point them out, and they shall be banished to the fires of Mordor. Or Wisconsin. Whichever we feel is more harsh at the time.
-Thou shalt not engage in racist, sexist, or other such insulting rhetoric. Somebody disagreeing with you does not make them racist or sexist. It means they disagree with you. Talk it out like adults.
-Thou shalt not bait the fans of other teams into trolling.
-Basically, thou shalt not be a jackwagon in the game thread.
Yep, actually picking the Vikings to win this one. . .partially because I think the Vikings really do have a shot at this one, and partially to troll the pro-tanking crowd. Mature? No. Satisfying? Yes.
So, what do the Minnesota Vikings have to do this afternoon in order to make my prediction come true and come out with a victory over the Chicago Bears?
1) Run the football - This one's pretty obvious. Last week against the Packers, Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart combined for 237 yards rushing. The Bears are currently dead last in the NFL when it comes to stopping the run, giving up an average of 145.2 yards/game on the ground. I would expect today's game plan to feature a lot of #28, and plenty of #32 as well. That would also play a role in loosening things up for the passing game.
2) Don't turn Josh McCown into Jay Cutler - In the first meeting between these two teams, Jay Cutler threw for nearly 300 yards and three touchdowns. Cutler won't be suiting up for this one, so the Bears will go with Josh McCown. McCown got absolutely battered last week against the St. Louis Rams, and if Brian Robison and Jared Allen can perform the way that Chris Long and Robert Quinn did last week, McCown shouldn't have time to get comfortable enough to replicate Cutler's performance.
3) For the love of everything, keep the ball away from Devin Hester as best you can - In the last game between these teams, Hester set a Bears record for most return yardage in a game. Yes, of all the big games Hester has had in his career (and as much as he's killed the Vikings), that was his biggest game ever. It seemed that every time the Vikings got the momentum, Hester took it right back. The Bears aren't the same offense with McCown at the helm as they are with Cutler, so neutralizing Hester will help the Vikings a lot. Jeff Locke needs to make sure he kicks within his coverage, and Blair Walsh needs to put his kickoffs in the third row of the seats behind the end zone.
This is the last time that these two teams will ever meet in this building. I know it goes against what an increasingly vocal portion of the fan base wants, but it would be nice to see them pull out a victory here.
We've got a little more than an hour before kickoff, folks. Let's enjoy the action!
SKOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL VIKINGS!!!!