CHICAGO BEARS (3-12) AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (7-8)
KICKOFF set at Noon, U.S. Bank Stadium. Game can be heard on Good Time Oldies with the Pre-game Show at 11:30
SERIES HISTORY: 111th regular-season meeting. Vikings lead series,
57-51-2. The Vikings are 34-21 at home, but this is the first
meeting at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings were 5-1 and coming off
their first loss of the season when these teams met at Soldier
Field on Halloween night. The Vikings were favored, but they came
out flat and lost 20-10 to continue the slide that eventually
turned a 5-0 team into the current 7-8 squad that was eliminated
from the playoff race last week. The Vikings have won four straight
at home against the Bears, including last year's 38-17 win at TCF
Bank Stadium.
KEYS TO THE GAME: The Vikings must stop running back Jordan Howard.
In the first meeting this year, the rookie ran for 153 yards and a
touchdown on 26 carries (5.9). He also caught four passes for 49
yards, giving him 202 yards from scrimmage. Howard's 153-yard total
and long run of 69 yards are season highs.
The Vikings need to win the turnover battle, which is something
they didn't do while giving up 72 points in back-to-back losses to
the Colts (34-6) and Packers (38-25). Bears QB Matt Barkley might
help in this area. He threw eight of his 12 interceptions in the
past two weeks.
The Vikings need to give some semblance of pass protection for QB
Sam Bradford, whose completion percentage (71.3) is on pace to set
an NFL record. Bradford needs better protection than he had when he
was sacked five times in the loss at Chicago on Halloween. There is
no running game for Minnesota as RB Adrian Peterson sits out what
may be his final game for Vikings or in the NFL.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH:
--Vikings SS Andrew Sendejo vs. Bears RB Jordan Howard. Sendejo
isn't a Pro Bowler by any stretch. But the Vikings got a reminder
of his worth in the first meeting when he was unable to play
because of injury. Rookie seventh-round draft pick Jayron Kearse
started and contributed to the Bears getting the early momentum and
a lead they would never relinquish. Kearse took such a bad angle on
Howard's early 69-yard run that he was benched for a while as the
Vikings went with second-year pro Anthony Harris, the backup to
free safety Harrison Smith. Howard ranks seventh in the league in
rushing with 1,178 yards. He's also averaging 5.1 yards a carry.
Sendejo is fifth on the team with 72 tackles. Obviously, it will
take more than him to stop Howard. The line needs to control the
gaps to allow the linebackers room to make tackles.
--Vikings OL Nick Easton, Joe Berger and Jeremiah Sirles vs. Bears
DE Akiem Hicks. Hicks was a wrecking ball to the right side of the
offensive line and offensive coordinator Norv Turner's game plan in
the first meeting. That was a long time ago. Turner resigned the
next day. And the Vikings have a different look on the right side.
Sirles is the right tackle, having replaced T.J. Clemmings, who had
to move to left tackle because of Jake Long's season-ending injury.
Berger was the center but is now the right guard because of Brandon
Fusco's concussion. And Easton is the new center. In the first
meeting, Hicks had two sacks and four more hurries. His sacks came
over Fusco at right guard and Berger at center.
FRIDAY INJURY REPORT
CHICAGO BEARS
--Doubtful: LB Leonard Floyd (concussion)
--Questionable: S Deon Bush (ankle), CB Bryce Callahan (hamstring,
knee), QB David Fales (right thumb), CB Cre'von LeBlanc (knee), T
Bobby Massie (toe), LB Pernell McPhee (shoulder), CB Tracy Porter
(knee, shoulder), LB Willie Young (knee)
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
--Out: RB Adrian Peterson (knee, groin), S Andrew Sendejo (knee)
--Doubtful: G Alex Boone (back), WR Stefon Diggs (hip), WR Laquon
Treadwell (ankle)
--Questionable: WR Charles Johnson (knee)
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Vikings WR Adam Thielen. One of the more
improbable NFL feel-good stories could reach another milestone if
this former Division II player has 40 receiving yards to top 1,000.
A third-year player from Minnesota State Mankano, Thielen wasn't
drafted and wasn't signed as a free agent immediately after the
draft. He had to go through a tryout at the team's rookie minicamp
first before getting a contract. This year, he is a starter and
perhaps the team's best receiver. Or at least a close second behind
Stefon Diggs. After career highs of 12 catches, 202 yards and two
TDs in the loss to Green Bay, Thielen has 68 catches for 960 yards
and five touchdowns.
FAST FACTS: Bears QB Matt Barkley has thrown eight interceptions
the last two weeks. ... Chicago rookie RB Jordan Howard has 1,178
yards rushing, third most by a rookie in franchise history. ...
Chicago LB Jerrell Freeman has 100 tackles, his fourth 100-tackle
season. ... Vikings QB Sam Bradford's completion percentage (71.3)
is on pace to break the NFL record, while his interception
percentage (0.8) would break Brett Favre's franchise mark of 1.3 in
2009. With 10 more completions, Bradford will surpass the team
record of 379 set by Daunte Culpepper in 2004. ... Vikings WR
Stefon Diggs has 34 receptions for 367 yards and three TDs in the
last four division games. ... Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph has 72
receptions, second-most by a Vikings tight end in a season. He is
tied for second among NFC tight ends with six TD catches. ...
Minnesota DE Danielle Hunter has 12 sacks.
