OK, so I’ve been slacking and fallen behind on the Reader’s Mock Draft, so to rectify the situation, I decided to just skip over the Bengals and Rams and cut right to the Minnesota Vikings.  Since no one cares about them anyway and Ziggy Ansah has slipped far enough down the draft board, I’ve assigned him to the Bengals.  The Rams already had a shot on the draft board with the 16th pick, so I’ve assigned Eddie Lacy, the next available vote-getter from their first go around on the clock.

As for the Vikings, they powered their way to the 2012 postseason on the surgically repaired knee of Adrian Peterson, exceeding expectations and vaulting ahead of the Bears and Lions into second place in the NFC North.  In order to pick up where they left off in 2012, Leslie Frazier and Rick Spielman will have to address some of the team needs.  (more…)

Nov 25, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (7) is sacked by Chicago Bears defensive tackle Henry Melton (69) during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bears (8-4, 3-2 road) will face off with the Minnesota Vikings (6-6, 5-1 home) for the 104^th meeting in their history.  The Vikings hold a 52-49-2 edge, but Lovie Smith has won all four meetings against Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier.  This game will be a big factor in deciding which of these teams makes it to the playoffs.

The Vikings will be without one of their best offense weapons in WR Percy Harvin, who leads all Viking receivers, by more than double, with 62 catches for 677 yards.  Running back Adrian Peterson is having another monster year with 1,446 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.  The Bears know that he can single-handedly win a game, like he did in 2007 when he had 224 rushing yards, nine receiving yards, 128 yards on kickoff returns and three rushing touchdowns.  Someone (or multiple players) from the Bears defense will need to stop him and hope that TE Kyle Rudolph (eight receiving touchdowns) doesn’t do much damage.

Jay Cutler will need continue his stellar play (68.0 completion percentage in his last four games), especially with rookie WR Alshon Jeffery (16 catches, 199 yards and two TDs in six games) coming back.  Vikings QB Christian Ponder has looked terrible lately (four of his last six games he has had a QB rating under 60), so the Bears defensive line, led by Henry Melton (six sacks, two forced fumbles this season) will need to keep pressure on him all day.

Here are some numbers to remember when watching the game this Sunday.

92.6:  Cutler’s Total QBR when outside of the pocket, best in the NFL.

16:  Number of touchdowns Cutler has thrown against the Vikings in seven career games.

0:  Number of times Matt Forte has rushed for 100 yards or more against the Vikings.

5:  Number of receiving touchdowns Devin Hester has scored against the Vikings.  He has 14 total receiving touchdowns in his career.

6:  Number of games that Adrian Peterson has gained 100 or more yards from scrimmage against the Bears in nine career games.

2:  Number of Vikings other than Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin, who have scored touchdowns against the Bears in their last five meetings (Kyle Rudolph in 2012 and Joe Webb in 2010).

11.34: Cutler’s average yards per pass attempt in the fourth quarter this season.

2-5:  The Bears record under Lovie Smith at the Metrodome.

2-6:  The Bears record under Lovie Smith during Week 14 of a season.

10:  Number of receptions needed by Brandon Marshall to break the Bears single-season record, currently held by Marty Booker with 100 in 2001.

8:  Number of forced fumbles by Charles Tillman this season, two shy of the NFL single-season record held by Osi Umenyiora of the New York Giants in 2010.

3.9:  Average yards per punt return by Bears opponents this season, best in the NFL.

2:  Number of times the Bears defense has given up more than one touchdown in the second half/overtime (Tennessee and Seattle both scored two).

3:  Points scored by Bears opponents on their opening drive of the game.

109:  Points scored by the Bears this season off of the 34 turnovers they created.

1:  Number of plays over 27 yards by Bears opponents in the fourth quarter this season.

8:  Number of plays over 27 yards by the Bears offense in the fourth quarter this season.

2009:  The last time the Bears won an overtime game (December 28, 2009 against the Vikings).

21-2:  Bears record when they lead after the first quarter since 2009.

Plain and simple, the Bears need to start quick and hang onto a lead.  They have done a great job of it in recent years, despite last week’s overtime debacle against the Seattle Seahawks.  Let’s all hope that Lovie Smith can manage this banged up defense and Mike Tice can figure out a way to block Vikings DE Jared Allen (13 career sacks against the Bears).  This one has a lot of playoff implications.

Nov 25, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) tries to evade Minnesota Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway (52) during the second half at Soldier Field. The Bears won 28-10. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

The Bears head to the Metrodome (I refuse to call it anything else) to rematch with the Minnesota Vikings.  Just a couple of weeks ago, the Bears prevailed at Soldied Field, but the Hump-dome is a whole different animal.  The Bears offensive line will be put to the test with the noisy environment and Adrian Peterson seems just a touch faster on the artificial turf.

The Bears have won 6 straight games over the Vikings.  Can they make it seven to keep themselves in contention for the NFC North crown?  Can they essentially end the Vikings’ postseason hopes?  To handle our 5 Questions, we reached out to our go to Vikings guy Dan Zinski, editor of The Viking Age.   Here are my questions and Dan’s answers. (more…)

It wasn’t pretty, but then again, when is it ever for Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears?  This play was no exception. While Cutler drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty with this cute little flip of the ball, it seemed to sum up how the Bears played during the game. They showed swagger.

And they’ll need that same swagger to keep things going down this crucial stretch. Well done, Jay.

(Image via USA Today)

Nov 11, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) rushes for a 61 yard touchdown against the Detroit Lions in the fourth quarter at the Metrodome. The Vikings win 34-24. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-US PRESSWIRE

The 6-4 Minnesota Vikings head to Soldier Field to Soldier Field to take on the 7-3 Bears in a crucial NFC North showdown.  Raise your hand if you saw this as a key game in the NFC North race before the season started.  Yeah, me neither.

The Bears have lost two in a row after jumping out to a 7-1 record, but have played the last game and a half without quarterback Jay Cutler, who suffered a concussion in their Sunday night game against the Texans a couple of weeks ago.  It’s unclear if Cutler will return, though he’s practiced all week.

For the Vikings, they’re led by running back Adrian Peterson.  That wouldn’t be surprising except that AP blew out his knee last December.  It’s miraculous that he’s back healthy and in fact leading the league in rushing after such a serious injury.  It looks like the Vikings could be without leading wide receiver Percy Harvin, so that could make the Vikins offense behind Christian Ponder one-dimensional, just what the doctor ordered for the struggling Bears.

To help us prepare for this important game, we’ve enlisted the help of old friend of the program Dan Zinski, editor of FanSided’s own The Viking Age.  Here are my questions and Dan’s answers to this week’s 5 Questions.  (more…)

December 24, 2011; Landover, MD, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) is helped to a cart after injuring his left knee against the Washington Redskins in the third quarter at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE

Minnesota Vikings

Record- 3-13

Coach-Leslie Frazier- 6-16

All-Time Record- Vikings lead 52-48-2 (Bears 1-0 in playoffs)

Key Subtractions-CB Cedric Griffin, LB E.J. Henderson, T Steve Hutchinson, S Tyrell Johnson, QB Donovan McNabb, TE Visanthe Shiancoe

Key Additions-TE John Carlson,  Wr Jerome Simpson OT Matt Kalil

2012 Meetings- 11/25 At Chicago  12/9 At Minnesota

Strength Of Schedule-18

Fantasy Impact- Adrian Peterson-1-2 round

Vikings offense

Oct 16, 2011; Chicago, IL, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (7) runs with the ball during the second half against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The Bears beat the Vikings, 39-10. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-US PRESSWIRE

The Vikings offense started with Donovan McNabb and ended with heir apparant in Christian Ponder behind center.  Ponder showed some flashes during his tenure as QB1, but the biggest factor in how the Vikings offense will be in 2012 is how and when Adrian Peterson returns to full strength.  Peterson is a workhorse that creates havok for defenses.   The only other offensive firepower on the offense is Percy Harvin who in Peterson’s abscense down the stretch put up some very good numbers.  To give them help the Vikings signed Jerome Simpson who will not get on the field until after his suspension.   It’s hard to imagine that the Vikings were only a play away from the Super Bowl against the Bounty led Saints, and now they are at the drawing board with a few good pieces.

Defense

The Vikings have one of the best pass rushers in the NFL in Jared Allen, and that is where the Vikings defense ended.  They had one of the worst defensive secondaries in the entire NFL which was exploited by the rest of the NFC North routinely.  The Vikings strength during their good years with Farve was their defensive front and linebackers, but like the offense the Vikings are back at the starting point with one superstar player.

Outlook-

Christian Ponder will be better than he was last season,  and the offense with Simpson should be more than just the AP or Percy show.  Kyle Rudolph could be ready to make a huge leap into the offense.  The defense will struggle especially with the pass happy Packers, Lions, and new Bears offense.

Prediction Sure to go Wrong

The Vikings are at a low point which will most likely cost Leslie Frazier his job at the end of 2012.  The Vikings will show improvement but will not be able to defend the pass which will give them a 4-12 season.  The good news for everyone in the NFL is that this will lead to very few moments of hearing the annoying Vikings horn this year.

Dec 20, 2010; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre (4) lays on the ground after getting hit during the second quarter against the Chicago Bears at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-US PRESSWIRE

The writing is on the wall in Minneapolis or actually it’s been handed in to the NFL office today! The Minnesota Vikings plan on being a terrible team in 2012, and they have the paperwork to prove it!

The Vikings are the fourth NFL franchise (Miami, Tampa Bay, Oakland) to ask for a reduction in ticket manifest at the Metrodome so that they can avoid home game blackouts this season.  The official capacity for the Vikings  is 64,000 but they will only have to sell out 54,ooo to lift any blackout bands this season.  When was the last Minnesota blackout? The answer is 1997.

The Vikings front office can spin it anyway they like citing poor non division match-ups this season against Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, and St. Louis Rams, but the experts have predicted a long winter in Minneapolis, and the front office verified these experts by asking for the new rule relief!

The lose lose situation for the Vikings is that any ticket sold over the 54,000 mark has to be shared 50% with the rest of the league instead of the normal 34%.  If the Vikings are really bad, they may be asking for the blackouts anyways?!?

It’s BEARly worth mentioning, but they are our rivals!

DA BEARS!!

Dec 25, 2011; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers running back James Starks (44) is tackled by Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher (54) during the game at Lambeau Field. The Packers defeated the Bears 35-21. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

News and Notes from around the NFC North

Green Bay Packers

-Eric Walden was suspended for one game for a domestic dispute that occurred on Thanksgiving Day. He will miss the opening game of the season against the SanFrancisco 49ers. Walden was arrested for the dispute but didn’t have to serve any jail time.  He did agree to 50 hours of community service and counseling.

-After going 15-1 the Packers are looking for “Redemption” after losing in the divisional playoff game against the NY Giants . If you want to get fired up for the Chicago Bears to beat down the Packers on Thursday Night Football in Week 2, watch this clip via the fansided Packer site LombardiAve

- While listening to Jim Rome interviewing Aaron Rodgers, Rodgers expressed the fact that the Packers probably won’t go 15-1 again this year, but there’s a great chance that they will be a better team.  Rodgers told Rome that he expects the team to run more and be better on the defensive side of the ball. Oh yea he’s still going to throw the ball A LOT!!

- Defense has been the focus at camp getting all 6 draft picks on the field and ready for the season.  The Packers know that their defense was their achilles heel and the rookies impact will be a big difference maker good or bad.

- Donald Driver has had a very good start to training camp on his personal proving the critics wrong tour while trying to reserve a roster spot this season

Detroit Lions

Jahvid Best. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE

- Jahvid Best was put on the PUP list after not being cleared to practice.  With Mikel Leshoure suspended for the first two games, Kevin Smith is penciled in as the first string starter for opening day for the time being.

-Alphonso Smith gets the first shot at cornerback after Aaron Berry was released.  Chris Houston is the other starter heading into training camp for a secondary that was shredded in the last two game of the season.

- Jim Schwartz claims that Detroit’s arrest extravaganza is over now that training camp has begun because none of the arrests happened in Detroit. Yes the Lions camp is in Detroit so now we understand Schwartz’s fifth grade logic

Minnesota Vikings

Adrian Peterson. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-US PRESSWIRE

-TE John Carlson suffered a MCL sprain which could force him to miss the rest of training camp.  The sprain is the same type that Matt Forte suffered last season.

- Leslie Frazier is on the hot seat but he has not been given any target numbers to hit to keep his job for next season.

-TE Kyle Rudolph stood out in the first week of training camp and could be a nice late round TE pick up in fantasy football.

- The health of Adrian Peterson will be a question mark until he reaches the playing field.  He may not be totally healthy until mid-season. He was taken to the hospital after an allergic reaction to something he ate.  He was fine after the hospital visit and returned to rehabbing his left knee.

This Season Opponents News

- Week 5 opponent Jacksonville Jaguars have two hold out situations 1. Justin Blackmon is the only draft picked not signed 2. Maurice Jones-Drew is holding out after not getting a long term deal—Aren’t we all glad that Matt Forte signed at the last second so that this kind of situation didn’t unfold in Bourbonnais!?!?