Read More: Josh McCown (QB – CHI), Michael Strahan (DE – NYG), Jared Allen (DE – MIN), Charles Tillman (CB – CHI), Chad Greenway (LB – MIN), Jim Kleinsasser (TE – MIN), Ryan Longwell (K – MIN), Kevin Williams (DT – MIN), Lorenzo Booker (RB – MIN), Brian Robison (DE – MIN), Earl Bennett (WR – CHI), Erin Henderson (LB – MIN), Percy Harvin (WR – MIN), D.J. Moore (CB – CHI), Joe Webb (QB – MIN), Toby Gerhart (RB – MIN), Christian Ponder (QB – MIN), Jordan Todman (RB – MIN), Caleb King (RB – MIN), Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings, Jan 1, 2012 12:00 PM CST

Fans of the Minnesota Vikings had something to cheer about on Sunday afternoon at the Metrodome, but in the end it was more of the same as the home team fell to the Chicago Bears by a score of 17-13.

The Vikings got off to a quick 10-0 lead, thanks to a couple of Chicago turnovers, getting a Ryan Longwell field goal after a fumble by Chicago’s Earl Bennett and a 5-yard Percy Harvin touchdown run after a fumble by running back Khalil Bell. However, that turned around quickly thanks to a 22-yard touchdown pass from Josh McCown to Roy Williams and an interception that Chicago’s Charles Tillman took into the end zone after it bounced off the hands of Toby Gerhart, quickly turning a 10-0 Minnesota lead into a 14-10 deficit.

Early in the second quarter, quarterback Christian Ponder got sacked by Chicago’s Isreal Idonije and needed help to get off of the field, re-aggravating the hip injury he suffered earlier on in the season and bringing Joe Webb in at quarterback. Webb provided a bit of a spark, completing 17-of-32 passes for 200 yards, but could only lead the Vikings to three points in his two-plus quarters of work along with two interceptions, including one to D.J. Moore to ice the game for Chicago.

The Vikings also lost running back Toby Gerhart to a knee injury during the game, and it was revealed afterwards that he suffered a partially torn MCL. That left Lorenzo Booker as the Vikings’ only healthy running back, as the team had both Caleb King and Jordan Todman inactive for this afternoon’s game.

It was the final game for Vikings’ tight end Jim Kleinsasser, who played for the Vikings for the entirety of his 13-year career. After Leslie Frazier stated earlier in the week that the team wanted to get Kleinsasser the ball and work him into the game plan, the burly tight end managed to get neither a carry nor a catch in his final game in purple and gold.

The big story for the Vikings in this one, however, was defensive end Jared Allen. He entered the game with 18.5 sacks, and got on the board early by splitting a sack with Erin Henderson to give him 19. He got McCown again in the second quarter to increase his total to 20, and the excitement at the Metrodome grew every time McNown dropped back to pass.

On the first play of the third quarter, Allen dropped McCown again for his 21st sack of the season, which tied him with Chris Doleman for the single-season record in Vikings’ team history. Allen took the record all for himself late in the third quarter, taking down McCown for another sack to give him 22 for the year, and putting him just one sack away from Michael Strahan’s single-season record of 22.5* set in 2001.

However, in typical Vikings’ fashion, it was not to be. The Bears put a ridiculous number of blockers on Allen for the rest of the afternoon, and he didn’t get another sack of McCown on the afternoon. As a team, the Vikings registered seven sacks on the afternoon, with Chad Greenway, Brian Robison, and Kevin Williams getting in on the act as well.

The loss by the Vikings, along with losses by the Indianapolis Colts and the St. Louis Rams, cements the Vikings into the third overall selection in the 2012 NFL Draft, the highest the team has selected since taking Chris Doleman with the fourth overall pick in the 1985 NFL Draft.

That’s your season, ladies and gentlemen. The Vikings finish the season 3-13, tied for the worst record in Vikings’ franchise history, with a 17-13 loss to the Chicago Bears. We would like to thank you for making SB Nation Minnesota your home for Minnesota Vikings’ coverage this year, and hope that you will stay around during the off-season as we analyze the Vikings going forward.

Video from the St. Paul Pioneer Press | TwinCities.com.

Read More: Joe Webb (QB – MIN), Christian Ponder (QB – MIN), Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, Minnesota Vikings at Washington Redskins, Dec 24, 2011 12:00 PM CST

The Minnesota Vikings spent their first round draft pick on Christian Ponder last year, but the team’s past couple of games are apparently making the coaching staff re-think that decision. The reason being, of course, that Joe Webb may have been the quarterback of the future all along.

Webb was selected in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft, but has been looked at as more of a gadget guy who can provide different looks rather than a prototypical quarterback. His ability to lead a second Vikings comeback in as many appearances has apparently made head coach Leslie Frazier re-think that, however, according to statements made to 1500 ESPN.

“Some of the things he does, man, and what it does to the rest of our team — you can’t ignore it,” Frazier said after Webb led three touchdown drives in relief of injured Christian Ponder and the Vikings beat the Washington Redskins 33-26.

“It’s something we’re going to take a real hard look at as we go forward. He definitely lifts our team. He’s done it. He did it a season ago as well.”

Few fans will be happy if Webb earns the starting spot over Ponder heading into next season — though that’ll be more due to the drafting of Ponder than the starting of Webb — but it’ll be worth keeping an eye on as Minnesota continues looking forward to next season.

Read More: vikings stadium, minnesota vikings stadium, new minnesota vikings stadium, minnesota vikings stadium funding, minnesota vikings stadium arden hills, minnesota vikings stadium bill, minnesota vikings stadium legislation, minnesota vikings stadium tax, minnesota vikings stadium deal, Minnesota Vikings

Fans of the Minnesota Vikings have gotten a lot of punches in the gut over the past couple of years, culminating with yesterday’s serious knee injury to running back Adrian Peterson. However, on this Christmas Day, there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel that is actually not connected to an oncoming train.

Peter King of Sports Illustrated reported earlier this evening on NBC’s Football Night In America that the Vikings and the state of Minnesota are close to a deal that would keep the team in Minnesota, and that such a deal is no longer a matter of “if,” but a matter of “when.”

King did not specify whether or not the stadium would be at the Vikings’ preferred location in Arden Hills, on the site of the former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant, or if it would be in Minneapolis somewhere. My guess is that if you were to ask most Viking fans, the overwhelming majority would respond with something along the lines of, “Who cares? Just get the darn thing built already!”

The Vikings could, potentially, become free agents at the conclusion of their season finale against the Chicago Bears at the Metrodome on New Year’s Day, but it appears that, after months of wrangling in public, in the media, in the halls of the legislature, and in smoke-filled back rooms, a deal to give the Minnesota Vikings a new home is imminent.

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Out for the game – and now much longer – with a serious knee injury,
Adrian Peterson
was on his way back from the X-ray room in the depths of the stadium when he looked at a television monitor.

“I see Toby break up the sideline,” Peterson said. “So, `Go, Toby, go.”‘

What else could happen to the
Minnesota Vikings
in one of the worst seasons in franchise history? How about losing Peterson to a direct hit on the left knee and
Christian Ponder
to a possible concussion on back-to-back plays to start the second half? It just didn’t seem fair.

And the news only got worse as Saturday went on. The Vikings said an MRI showed that Peterson tore the anterior cruciate ligament
in his left knee, and coach Leslie Frazier will provide a further update at his news conference Monday.

But here’s a twist: They won the game.
Toby Gerhart
and
Joe Webb
answered the call, leading Saturday’s 33-26 victory over the
Washington Redskins
that snapped a six-game losing streak and helped make up for the fact that their best player was standing on crutches in the
locker room.

“I can enjoy my Christmas now,” Frazier said.

Gerhart scampered for a 67-yard run – the play Peterson saw on TV – to start Minnesota’s next series after the Peterson-Ponder
injuries and finished with 109 yards on 11 carries. Webb again made a case to be a starting quarterback by throwing for two
touchdowns and running for another as the Vikings (3-12) kept alive their hopes to not finish with the worst record in team
history. A win next week against Chicago would put them ahead of the dubious 1984 Minnesota team that went 3-13.

Asked if it’s time to give the option-running Webb a look at the No. 1 job, Frazier didn’t hesitate.

“Some of the things he does, and what it does to the rest of our team, you can’t ignore,” Frazier said. “So it’s something
we’re going to have a real hard look at as we go forward. He definitely lifts our team.”

He might get the start next week, at least, because of Ponder’s injury, but Webb surely was an inspiring presence Saturday,
completing 4 of 5 passes for 84 yards and rushing five times for 34 yards. His 9-yard touchdown run came on the option, and
he put a perfect 17-yard scoring pass into the arms of rookie tight end
Kyle Rudolph
, a touchdown appropriate for Christmas Eve, to give the Vikings a 23-20 lead late in the third quarter.

“When they bring in a weapon like that,” Redskins linebacker
Perry Riley
said of Webb, “not a secret weapon – we’d seen him on tape and we had a feeling – but it’s hard to prepare fully on a short
week for two quarterbacks. … It’s hard to change it mid-stream like that.”

Webb’s 8-yard pass to
Percy Harvin
broke a 23-all tie early in the fourth quarter, and rookie
Mistral Raymond
‘s first career interception set up
Ryan Longwell
‘s 23-yard field goal to give the Vikings a 10-point lead with 4:05 to play. Minnesota had gone nine games without a pick
before Raymond’s big play.

The Redskins pulled within a touchdown on
Graham Gano
‘s 47-yard field goal with 1:25 remaining. They got the ball back after a punt, but
Rex Grossman
‘s final long fling to the end zone fell incomplete to give Washington (5-10) a sixth straight home loss, its longest such
skid since 1994.

Peterson said he knew “it was something bad” the moment he was hit by safety
DeJon Gomes
at the end of a 3-yard gain on the first offensive play of the second half. The X-rays were negative, but Peterson had an
MRI late Saturday after the team returned to Minnesota.

“It’s such a special person that you want to be right before you prognosticate on what might be,” Frazier said before the
exam.

The torn ACL, the worst-case scenario, will likely sideline Peterson for some nine months and make it difficult for him to
return for the start of next season.

“Anytime you take a blow to the knee like that, you’re concerned about the ACL, MCL,” Peterson said before the diagnosis.
“I’m trying to stay as positive as I can.”

On the play after Peterson was hurt, Ponder suffered a head injury when sacked by
Adam Carriker
and
London Fletcher
. Ponder remained in the game for one more play – a third-down incomplete pass – before heading to the locker room.

Frazier said Ponder had “concussion-like symptoms.” The coach said he’s uncertain whether the quarterback will play in next
week’s season finale against the Bears.

“We’ll have to weigh it when we get back,” Frazier said, “and I’ll follow the doctor’s lead.”

With the way Webb is playing, Ponder might get the week off anyway.

Notes: Grossman had two more giveaways – a lost fumble and interception – to put his total at 24 for the season. He was already
tied for the most turnovers in the NFL entering the game. … Washington’s
Evan Royster
, getting the start with fellow rookie
Roy Helu
out with an injury, ran for 132 yards on 19 carries. … Minnesota’s
Jared Allen
had one sack to raise his total to 18 1/2. … The Vikings were also short-handed along the offensive line, with guard
Steve Hutchinson
inactive with a concussion and guard
Anthony Herrera
sidelined for part of the game with a lower back injury.

—

© 2011 STATS LLC