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CHICAGO BEARS (5-10) | WK 17 | MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-9) |
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Date: | 28 December 2014 | Location: | Minneapolis, MN |
Time: | 12:00 PM Central | Stadium: | TCF Bank Stadium |
TV: | FOX DirecTV Ch 706 | Radio: | Vikings Radio Network XM Ch 232 Sirius Ch 146 |
TV Announcers: | Dick Stockton Brady Quinn | Know Thy Foe: | Windy City Gridiron |
Weather: | 23 degrees, Winds from N at 5-10 MPH (Wind Chill 17), 0% chance of precip | ||
Line: | Minnesota -7, Over/Under 45.5 (Thanks to the SB Nation Odds page) | ||
Chris' Prediction: | Vikings 27, Bears 20 | ||
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 keep the GIFs out of the Game Threads. These things tend to bog down enough as it is due to the number of comments. We don't need it to potentially be any worse. If we get a GIF of a big Vikings' play or something, we will drop it in here.
-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.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, in about three hours the 2014 season will be over for both of these teams. The loser of this one will finish last in the NFC North for this season and will have a top 10 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. The winner could still wind up in the Top 10 of the 2015 Draft, but will at least have the satisfaction of not finishing in last place in the division.
So, what do the Vikings have to do in order to emerge victorious and avoid double-digit losses and getting "skunked" in divisional games?
1) Just play hard - There are going to be guys playing for their next contract, as well as guys that are playing to make an impression on the coaches going into the off-season program. This team should want to go out on a high note in front of the home crowd, and they should be able to do that against a team that is in complete disarray and could be firing their coach tomorrow on "Black Monday."
2) Protect Teddy Bridgewater - Just like the last time these two teams played, keeping the young quarterback on his feet is going to play a big role in the Vikings coming out with a victory. Teddy is currently riding a streak of four games with a completion percentage of at least 70%, a new record for NFL rookies. He's capable of putting together a fifth against this Chicago defense, but it's going to require the offensive line keeping Jared Allen and company away from him.
3) Jay Cutler don't care - The Bears benched Jay Cutler before last week's game, and they wouldn't be playing him this week, either, if Jimmy Clausen hadn't suffered a concussion against the Detroit Lions. Cutler may have already checked out for this season, and he could be joining Marc Trestman on the unemployment line. . .or, at the very least, Cutler will be heading for a new locale. The Vikings have to put more heat on Cutler than they did in the first match-up and make him do Cutler things in order for this team to get a victory today.
It's been a wild ride so far this season, ladies and gentlemen. Let's hope that our favorite football team can give us a victory to close things out.
SKOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL VIKINGS!!!!