CBSSports.com wire reports
Jan. 1, 2012

MINNEAPOLIS — First, Jay Cutler. Then, Matt Forte. Finally, Brian Urlacher.

The Chicago Bears stopped their five-game losing streak at the end of this what-could-have-been season, but even this victory was plenty painful.

Charles Tillman’s interception return in the second quarter gave the Bears the lead for good in a 17-13 victory over the Vikings on Sunday despite 3½ of Minnesota’s seven sacks by Jared Allen and a late injury to Urlacher, the soul of Chicago’s defense.

“It just breaks my heart to see. He is the Chicago Bears,” quarterback Josh McCown said. “That’s the name you think about, so to see that guy down on the turf is a sick feeling.”

Allen finished the season with 22 sacks, behind Michael Strahan’s mark of 22½ for the New York Giants in 2001. Joe Webb relieved Christian Ponder at quarterback for the Vikings (3-13) for the third time in the past month, but the wild-scrambling Webb wasn’t able to keep the Vikings from matching their worst record in franchise history, set first in 1984.

“I was really hoping for one more one-on-one, one more third-and-9,” Allen said.

The Vikings claimed the third pick in next year’s draft after going 0-6 in the NFC North, the first time in their 51 years they’ve failed to win a division game.

Coach Lovie Smith said Urlacher sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee, which bent awkwardly in the end zone while he helped break up a pass with 5:15 left. He’ll have ample time to recover this winter with the Bears (8-8) missing the playoffs for the fourth time in five years, but that wasn’t a good way to finish for a guy who’ll turn 34 before next season. Urlacher was able to walk off the field without assistance, but he was in enough pain initially that he briefly covered his face with his hand.

The past month has been hard to watch for all of the Bears and their fans, following Cutler’s broken right thumb. They were 7-3 with the postseason well within reach until Cutler was sidelined. Forte, their Pro Bowl running back, sprained his right knee two weeks later, and the Bears stumbled into this meaningless matchup at Minnesota with last season’s trip to the NFC Championship Game a distant memory.

“It’s not a whole lot of fun finishing your season knowing that, but we’re a good football team and we’re going to try and keep as many of our coaches and players together as possible,” Smith said. “We don’t want to tear this team down and start over or anything like that. This is a good football team, and we’re going to win a lot of games with this core remaining the same.”

Smith acknowledged he’s concerned about Urlacher but also noted his recuperative history.

“He heals a little bit quicker than most people, so he should be OK,” Smith said.

Despite Allen being in his face all day, blowing by left tackle J’Marcus Webb often until the tight ends started to help, McCown finished 15 for 25 for 160 yards and a second-quarter touchdown pass to Roy Williams with one interception. Though the season was already lost, McCown fared far better than Cutler’s first fill-in, Caleb Hanie, after being signed off the street to take his first NFL snaps in two years.

“What a great group, and it’s just an honor to play for the coaches and the guys that are on the field today,” McCown said.

The Bears have won five straight in this series, their longest streak against the Vikings since winning six in a row from 1983-86.

“The last time I looked at our record we were 7-3, and from that moment on everything came tumbling down like a small snowball into a huge snowman,” said receiver-returner Devin Hester, who had another quiet game.

Though the circumstances were so much different on this day, the Vikings came full circle with another loss to McCown. He filled in for the Arizona Cardinals in the 2003 season finale and knocked Minnesota out of a playoff spot with a stunning heave into the end zone on the final snap.

The Vikings got the ball back with no timeouts at their own 6-yard line and 1:51 left, but D.J. Moore’s interception — the second of the game by Webb — at the Chicago 29 was the clincher.

Ponder went 4 for 10 for 28 yards before aggravating a hip pointer he suffered a month ago. Webb, who rallied the Vikings to victory last week at Washington and brought them within 1 yard of a win at Detroit on Dec. 11, went 17 for 32 for 200 yards. He netted only 2 yards on four rushes.

“They did a real good job of being gap smart and not letting him escape,” Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said.

The Vikings had their share of gaffes familiar to this at-times-woeful season. Most notable was Ponder’s 13th interception, a poorly thrown pass behind Toby Gerhart that bounced off the running back’s hands and into the arms of Tillman for an untouched 22-yard return. That was the third pick-six in the past five games against Ponder, the first-round draft pick who took over as the starter for the seventh game of the season.

Webb took a 10-yard loss on one of his scrambles instead of throwing the ball away on third-and-4 at the 20, moving Ryan Longwell’s field goal attempt back to 48 yards. Julius Peppers blocked it, preserving a 14-10 lead. Longwell made a pair of 26-yarders in the first half, but a high snap and a dropped hold led to another botched field goal in the second half.

Notes

• Gerhart carried 15 times for 67 yards for the Vikings before leaving with an injury to his left knee.
• Kahil Bell rushed for 54 yards on 17 carries for the Bears.

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

This Sunday’s tilt against the Chicago Bears at the Metrodome will mark the final game for long-time Minnesota Vikings’ tight end Jim Kleinsasser. Kleinsasser, who was the team’s second-round pick in the 1999 NFL Draft out of the University of North Dakota, has spent all 13 of his NFL seasons in a Minnesota uniform, and recently set the record for most games played by a Vikings’ tight end.

As a way to honor him this Sunday, the Vikings have distributed this little beauty. It’s a cut-out beard, designed to look like Kleinsasser’s, that the team wants folks to print out, cut out, and wear to this Sunday’s game. Not only that, but if you take a picture of yourself wearing the beard and upload it to the Vikings’ official FaceBook page, you can win prizes. (Prizes have not been specified.)

So, if you’ll be at the Metrodome this Sunday for the season finale, show your respect for one of the more unheralded players in Vikings’ history.

Fear the beard!

What are your opinions.

I know I sound like a broken record, but I’m going to use this line again. The injuries continue to pile up for the Minnesota Vikings as this 2011 season continues to wind towards its disappointing end.

This past Sunday, when the Vikings lost 42-20 to the New Orleans Saints, veteran guard Steve Hutchinson went down with a concussion that could potentially sideline him for the final two games of the season.

In hopes of healing the wounds that the injury bug has left behind, the Vikings signed former USC guard Butch Lewis to their practice squad on Tuesday, Dec. 20. This, however, isn’t Lewis’ first go-around with the Vikings.

After going undrafted in the 2011 NFL Draft, Lewis spent training camp with the Kansas City Chiefs and was signed to their practice squad shortly after failing to make the final cuts for the 53-man active roster. Throughout the first month of the regular season, he was on and off of their practice squad before getting the final axe from the Chiefs on Oct. 6.

On Oct. 26, the Vikings signed Lewis to their practice squad in hopes of providing some depth to their heavily-depleted offensive line. He remained a part of the Vikings’ practice squad up until a week ago when he was waived to make room for two new additions to the team’s wide receiver corps.

Now back with the Vikings, Lewis will work as an extra body along the offensive line for the team to take advantage of throughout the week. Although it’s unlikely that he’ll see the field in the next two weeks, there’s potential to earn himself a training camp invite when the Vikings begin work for the 2012 season.

Lewis will join fellow guard Chris DeGeare as the Vikings’ two practice squad offensive linemen.

In order to make room for Lewis, the Vikings have subtracted wide receiver Owen Spencer from the practice squad. Spencer, who was one of the wide receivers signed when the Vikings initially waived Lewis, is an undrafted rookie out of North Carolina State. He was brought in along with fellow undrafted rookie wide receiver Kris Adams, but apparently didn’t do enough to earn another week with the team.

Only two weeks to go until this nightmare of a season is over.

Gil Alcaraz IV is a life-long follower of the Minnesota Vikings and the founder of TheVikingDen.com. For more Vikings/NFL coverage, follow him on Twitter or “like” The Viking Den on Facebook.

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Feel free to leave your comments below.

In hopes of lightening the load on their already-depleted wide receiving corps, the Minnesota Vikings have added two young pass-catchers to their practice squad.

The Vikings signed wide receivers Kris Adams and Owen Spencer to the practice squad on Monday. These acquisitions come on the heels of Stephen Burton’s move to the Injured Reserve list and Emmanuel Arceneaux’s promotion to the active roster.

Now with the Vikings, Adams and Spencer will join former Arizona State standout Kerry Taylor as the team’s practice squad wide receivers.

Adams, an undrafted rookie out of UTEP, spent the first few months of his young NFL career with the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams. After spending the preseason in a Bears uniform, Adams was cut and then re-signed to the practice squad but was eventually released. On Oct. 18, Adams was signed to the Rams practice squad but was cut less than a month later. Minnesota will now be his third NFL destination since he went undrafted.

The 6’4”, 195 pound receiver made a name from himself during college as a deep threat who could stretch the field and make highlight catches in traffic. Combining great length with exceptional speed (4.4 40 time), he averaged over 19 yards per catch in his final three seasons at UTEP. His lack of size and blocking ability are definitely negatives, but he makes up for it with his competitiveness and work ethic.

Spencer, another undrafted rookie out of North Carolina State, will now be on his fourth NFL roster after joining the Vikings. Initially signed by the Tennessee Titans, Spencer was cut right before the beginning of the 2011 regular season. Since the beginning of the regular season, he has spent time with both the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions but was out on the street for over two months before the Vikings brought him aboard.

Much like Adams, Spencer is another deep threat who can pick up big chunks of yardage in small amounts of time. During his time at NC State, Spencer racked up a career 19.4 yards per catch average while earning himself second-team All-ACC honors during his senior year. He also holds the ACC record with his 25.5 yards per catch average during the 2009 season. Although he lacks significant straight-line speed and the ability to consistently create separation, Spencer is a solid possession receiver who uses his frame and soft hands to make plays.

In order to open up on the appropriate space for the two wide receivers, the Vikings cut offensive tackle Butch Lewis from the practice squad. The other opening was made available due to Arceneaux’s promotion.

It’s unlikely that either will see the field with only three games remaining for the Vikings. Adams and Spencer will, however, have enough time to prove whether or not they deserve another shot when the 2012 NFL season rolls around.

Gil Alcaraz IV is a life-long follower of the Minnesota Vikings and the founder of TheVikingDen.com. For more Vikings/NFL coverage, follow him on Twitter or “like” The Viking Den on Facebook.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top.

If Santa Claus was visiting the Minnesota Vikings, and bringing with him our 2012 wish-list, we would have to hope that his bag is full of goodies. It still seems as though he brought us our quarterback last year (despite some of Ponder’s struggles, he has a good foundation), and we have been pretty lucky at the running back position (Adrian Peterson backed up by Toby Gerhart(notes) is a strong 1-2 punch). However, there are still many positions that need to be filled. Santa, if you are reading this article, here is my 2012 wish-list for the Vikings.

1) A receiver that jumps, makes catches and scores; one that all Vikings fans can surely adore. Percy Harvin(notes) really has broken out the last few games, but we still need that tall receiver that can go up and catch a ball when our quarterback needs a bailout. Harvin has been incredible during the last three or four games, and brings a lot of speed to the game, but he lacks in size what some of these big and physical receivers can bring to the table. A solid receiver will make Ponder even better.

2) A secondary that tackles, and stops all receptions; can help stop the run, and make interceptions. It is no secret that the Vikings have one of the worst secondaries in the NFL (they are in the bottom six). However, watching them get sliced up by Tim Tebow(notes) on Sunday afternoon was too much. Santa needs to bring us an overhaul. This upcoming draft, Minnesota could be served well by looking for three or four new cornerbacks. Or, maybe if we are lucky, Santa will bring them to us yet this year.

3) A coach with some fire, and passion for glory; who brings new desire, not the same old story. When the Vikings fired Brad Childress, many of us thought that the worst coaching we had seen in years was behind us. However, even the announcers on CBS this weekend had harsh words for Vikings coach Leslie Frasier. On third and goal from inside the ten yardline, Minnesota did not have either one of its two big tight ends in the game. Visanthe Shiancoe(notes) and Kyle Rudolph(notes) were both watching the play from the sidelines. Frasier hasn’t been given a whole slate of talent to work with, but his decision to bring in a washed up McNabb and continue to start him while Ponder could have been growing will continue to come under fire for the next several games. Minnesota wasn’t bound for the playoffs this year, but finishing the season with only 2 or 3 wins could have been prevented.

Hopefully Santa is reading this right now in the North Pole, working his magic (and if he wants to bring some coal to the Green Bay Packers, I think we’d be okay with that too). We Minnesota fans have been good this year, and struggled through a long Twins season and Timberwolves season, so I would have to think we are due for some good news, and a stocking full of treasure!

Jack Grunpe is an avid NFL fan as well as an avid lover of Christmas.

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What do you guys think about this.

The Minnesota Vikings’ pride wasn’t the only thing that was hurting after their 35-32 loss to the Denver Broncos this past Sunday.

Rookie quarterback Christian Ponder(notes) suffered a hip pointer early during the game, but managed to battle through the pain, breaking the Vikings’ rookie record for most passing yards in a game (381) in the process. Unfortunately, his performance was marred by two interceptions and a fumble that eventually culminated into another notch in the loss column.

Although he isn’t expected to miss next Sunday’s matchup with the Detroit Lions, Ponder’s hip pointer (a bruise caused by a direct shot to the hip bone) will be monitored closely throughout the week.

“The trainers are telling me he should be fine,” Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier said when asked about Ponder’s status. “It’s going to take a few days, but he should be fine by the time we line up on Sunday.”

According to Frazier, the Vikings expect Ponder to see limited action during practice throughout the week as the Vikings prepare to take on their NFC North foes.

If Ponder for some unforeseen reason can’t go on Sunday, the Vikings will have to resort to second-year quarterback Joe Webb(notes) to take his place. In the instance that Webb starts, recently-claimed veteran Sage Rosenfels(notes) will be forced into the backup role.

The diagnosis isn’t pretty, but Ponder’s toughness and grit should help him overcome the injury in time to suit up for Sunday’s showdown with the Lions.

As for running back Adrian Peterson, the chances of him seeing the field continue to improve with each passing day. According to Frazier, the All-Pro runner is “very close” to returning to the lineup for the Vikings. Peterson suffered a high-ankle sprain two weeks ago and has been rapidly trying to recover from the injury. If all goes as planned, the Vikings might have their biggest offensive weapon back in their arsenal as soon as this weekend.

The Vikings also announced today that three other starters were injured during yesterday’s loss to the Broncos.

Defensive end Brian Robison(notes) suffered a concussion and is currently undergoing an evaluation to see if he’ll be able to play against the Lions. As of right now, he is considered day-to-day.

Linebacker Chad Greenway(notes) fell victim to a hyperextended elbow, but eventually returned to the field to finish out the game. The Vikings’ defensive leader is expected to be at full strength this upcoming weekend.

Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe(notes) showed up at team facilities today with a swollen hand. After undergoing X-rays, the Vikings have determined that there is no fracture. The Vikings will keep a close eye on their starting tight end as the week progresses.

It’s been a rough, injury-laden season for the Vikings as they head into an intimidating Week 14 matchup with the Lions. At this point, the only thing they can hope for is that no other starters go down with season-ending injuries.

Stay tuned throughout the week as more injury updates become available.

Gil Alcaraz IV is a life-long follower of the Minnesota Vikings and the founder of TheVikingDen.com. For more Vikings/NFL coverage, follow him on Twitter or “like” The Viking Den on Facebook.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

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EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP)—For years the Minnesota Vikings defense has
prided itself on one basic and unyielding tenet—smash the run game.

You don’t run on us, they said. And opponents didn’t.

What has been one of the best run defenses in league history is showing more
and more cracks at the worst possible times, with the latest coming in a 33-27
loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Needing a stop to get the ball back to
their offense in the final 2:30, the Vikings gave up 55 yards rushing to James
Starks(notes) to allow the Packers to run out the clock.

Any loss, especially a home defeat to their NFC North rivals, is a tough one
to swallow. But to watch the Packers’ mediocre running game gouge the proud
Vikings front seven at the most critical point of the game only magnified the
sting.

“It’s hard to see that happen when you know how well we played run defense
here for a number of years,” coach Leslie Frazier said. “It’s something that
we really have to address.

“Everything we talk about from a defensive standpoint starts with stopping
the run. That was a chance for us to really come up big. They did a great job of
blocking and moving the football.”

Running the ball against the purple, especially when playing in the
Metrodome, simply hasn’t been an option for opposing offenses for most of the
last decade. In fact, it was common to see opponents completely abandon the
running game rather than slam their heads into the vaunted Williams Wall in the
middle of the defensive front.

But one half of that tackle tandem—Pat Williams(notes)—was not brought back
this season and the unit that led the league in fewest yards rushing allowed
from 2006 to 2008 and finished second in 2009 hasn’t played up to its lofty
standards.

Reputation, perhaps more than reality, led Frazier to make the key decision
at the end of the game with his team down six points. The Vikings had a
fourth-and-10 from their own 36.

With all three of their timeouts and the two-minute warning, Frazier decided
to punt the ball, hoping his defense could stop the pedestrian Packers running
game and get the ball back to Christian Ponder(notes) and the offense for one last
shot.

But Starks ripped runs of 15, 20 and 14 yards among his six carries to run
out the clock and seal a victory for the Packers.

“It’s definitely frustrating,” middle linebacker E.J. Henderson(notes) said.
“That’s our motto and that’s our mantra—smash the run. To come out at the end
of the game with (2:30) left and be able to close the deal, that is tough for
us.”

Injuries have certainly contributed to the slide.

Former All-Pro Kevin Williams(notes), the other half of the “Williams Wall,” is
playing with a painful case of plantar fasciitis in his left foot and hasn’t
been the same force that he was for his first seven years in the league.

Henderson is dealing with pain in his swollen left knee that has zapped some
of his aggressiveness in tracking down runners from sideline to sideline, safety
Jamarca Sanford(notes) was out with a concussion and safeties Husain Abdullah(notes) and
Tyrell Johnson(notes) have yet to show they are capable of being factors in the running
game.

“One of the things we talked about prior to the game was, every guy just
doing his job on every single play as a team,” Frazier said. “Just doing your
responsibility. Well in that last drive we had a couple guys who tried to make
some plays that weren’t necessarily their plays to make.”

Kevin Williams took some of the blame for not adhering to his assignment on
two of the plays and defensive end Brian Robison(notes) said the breakdowns were a
microcosm of this 1-6 season.

“It’s just one of those things that you look at and you know what we should
have done and we didn’t do it,” Robison said. “That’s kind of the story of our
season so far is looking at things and seeing what we should’ve done and not
doing them. We’ve got to make sure that no matter what, we make those
corrections and make sure they don’t happen again. Unfortunately they are.
They’re happening over and over.”

Follow Jon Krawczynski on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/APkrawczynski.

Not much else going on in the NFL world today.

Read More: Donovan McNabb (QB – MIN), Christian Ponder (QB – MIN), Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers

One of the many quarterback changes was the replacement of Donovan McNabb for rookie first round pick Christian Ponder. Ponder is off to a great start, making the Vikings team as a whole look much better. The Vikings have a 14-7 lead over the defending Super Bowl champions, but it may not last long.

Ponder is 5 for 8, 108 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Minnesota seems to have struck the balance between passing and rushing with Adrian Peterson that they were expecting from McNabb. If this first quarter is any indication of Ponder’s future, McNabb may not be wearing purple after this season.

The one thing the Vikings have lacked besides employing a mistake free secondary, has been a consistent signal caller. If Ponder continues to develop positively, this could be the start of something great for the Vikings who find themselves in a fierce NFC North division.

That’s all the news for today.

• WHO: Green Bay Packers (6-0) at Minnesota Vikings (1-5).

• WHEN: 3:15 p.m., Sunday, Fox.

• OPENING LINE: Packers by 9 1/2.

• RECORD VS. SPREAD: Green Bay 5-1; Minnesota 2-3-1

• SERIES RECORD: Packers lead 51-48-1. Last meeting: Packers beat
Vikings, 31-3, Nov. 21, 2010.

• NFL RANKINGS: Packers’ offense, overall (4), rushing (24),
passing (3); Packers’ defense, overall (23), rushing (5), passing
(31). Vikings’ offense, overall (23), rushing (3), passing (31);
Vikings’ defense, overall (15), rushing (4), passing (24).

• FACTS & FIGURES: Packers have won seven of past 10 meetings
in back-and-forth rivalry, their best 10-game run in series since
late 1980s. … Last year’s loss at Minnesota, last game coached by
Brad Childress, was worst home defeat to Packers for Vikings since
1964. … With one more win, Packers would run their streak,
including playoffs, to franchise-long 13 straight games. They won
12 in row during span in 1961-62. … Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is
first player in NFL history to start season with a 110-plus passer
rating in six straight games. Steve Young is only QB since 1970
merger with longer such streak, seven consecutive games in 1994.
… Rodgers had 141.3 rating, with 301 yards and four touchdowns,
at Minnesota last year. … Rookie Christian Ponder will start at
QB for Vikings, replacing Donovan McNabb. He’s fourth QB in last 11
seasons to make first Vikings start against Packers, with Spergon
Wynn (2001, road), Tarvaris Jackson (2006, road) and Brooks
Bollinger (2007, road) all losing their debuts. … In 25 career
games against NFC North opponents, Vikings RB Adrian Peterson has
rushed for an average of 100.9 yards per game. 

— The AP.

Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.

The Chicago Bears kept Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson from
hurting them in the NFC North rivals’ most recent matchup at Soldier Field.

This time, they might need to be equally concerned with Jared Allen(notes) and his
fellow defensive linemen.

The disruptive Vikings will try to take advantage of a beleaguered Bears
offensive line and claim consecutive victories for only the second time in two
seasons Sunday night.

Peterson had a season-best 122 yards and matched a career high with three
touchdowns last week as Minnesota claimed its first win of the season, routing
visiting Arizona 34-10. The Vikings (1-4) got two sacks apiece from Allen -
giving him an NFL-best 8 1/2 – and fellow defensive end Brian Robison(notes), who is
tied for ninth in the league with 4 1/2.

Allen has 8 1/2 sacks in six career matchups with Chicago and had two in the
previous game at Soldier Field, a 27-13 loss Nov. 14.

“(The Vikings) are going to let that front four go to work, and we have to
find a way to block them,” said Bears quarterback Jay Cutler(notes), who has thrown for
13 TDs in his five games against the Vikings.

Minnesota is tied for second in the league with 16 sacks and its defensive
linemen have collected all but one of those. The Vikings will try to use that
pass rush to claim only their second win in 11 games in Chicago and first since
2007.

The Bears have allowed the third-most sacks in the league (18), and Cutler
was taken down three times – and hurried countless others – during a 24-13 loss
in Detroit on Monday night.

Chicago’s offensive line also committed a stunning nine false-start
penalties.

“I’m sure they’re going to do everything possible to fix some of the
problems they had on Monday night and during the season. We got to be prepared
to adjust to any changes they make,” said Vikings coach and former Bears
cornerback Leslie Frazier. “We need our pass rush to be working for us.”

While scrambling often, Cutler managed to throw for 249 yards and a
touchdown against the Lions, and Matt Forte(notes) topped 100 yards for the second
straight game with 116 on 22 carries. Chicago (2-3), though, only scored three
points after halftime and gave up its second touchdown of 70-plus yards in the
third quarter.

“It’s time to do some soul searching and see what each of us is really made
of,” cornerback Charles Tillman(notes) said. “We can either tuck our tails between our
legs and go run away or man up and fight and get this thing turned around.”

The Bears gave up a season-worst 181 rushing yards in the loss and are
surrendering an NFL-worst 5.7 yards per carry, but they’ve held Peterson to less
than 100 in each of the past two games in Chicago.

He gained 51 yards on 17 carries at Soldier Field last November and failed
to score for the first time in seven matchups.

Peterson was nursing ankle and knee injuries during a 40-14 loss to the
Bears on Dec. 20.

To snap their three-game skid against the Bears, the Vikings could use a
similar performance from their running back and a better one from Donovan
McNabb(notes). The veteran quarterback’s completion percentage (56.8) and yards per
attempt (6.43) both rank 27th in the league.

McNabb hasn’t thrown for more than 262 yards in any of his seven
regular-season matchups with his hometown team, but has prevailed in five of
those, including a 17-14 victory with Washington last season at Soldier Field.

He might have former Bears receiver Bernard Berrian(notes) back to help him.
Berrian was on the inactive list for last week’s game for undisclosed reasons, a
punishment he says he’s “already over.”

“I don’t foresee any future problems. I really expect him to play at a high
level for us and play well,” Frazier said.

Berrian, who has two catches for 37 yards, was part of a brief Twitter feud
with a state lawmaker following a 22-17 loss in Kansas City on Oct. 2. Another
former Chicago wideout, Devin Aromashodu(notes), has 115 yards and a touchdown over the
last two games.

The Bears, meanwhile, are unlikely to have Julius Peppers(notes) available. The
defensive end, who signed a six-year deal worth $91.5 million before the start
of last season, was listed as doubtful after missing practice Friday due to a
sprained left knee. He had returned late in Monday’s game after suffering the
injury.

Chicago expect to see defensive end Corey Wootton(notes) return, though on a
limited basis. After missing three games with a knee injury before returning
Oct. 2, he sat out the loss to Detroit with a broken hand.

The Bears are tied for 21st with nine sacks, five of which came in a
season-opening win over Atlanta.

A fourth straight victory over Minnesota would give Chicago its longest
streak since a series-best six-game run Dec. 11, 1983-Oct. 5, 1986.

Leave your comments on the news below.

By Christopher Gates

– Managing Editor

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Oct 11, 2011 – The Minnesota Vikings finally got their first win of the 2011 season on Sunday afternoon with their thrashing of the Arizona Cardinals. Unfortunately, that hasn’t done a whole heck of a lot to change their lot in the 2011 NFL Standings through the season’s first five weeks.

Yes, the only two undefeated teams remaining in the NFL still reside in the NFC North, as the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions both moved their records to 5-0 this week by beating the Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears, respectively.

As it stands now, here is what the NFC North standings look like:

That’s not a misprint, folks. . .despite having a record of just 1-4 on the season, the Vikings have outscored their opponents overall, thanks to their 24-point victory on Sunday afternoon. All the more reason for Viking fans to be frustrated with their team’s lot this season.

This week, the Vikings will travel to Chicago to take on the Bears on Sunday Night Football, the Lions will host the San Francisco 49ers, and the Packers will host the St. Louis Rams.

Read More: nfl standings, 2011 nfl standings, nfc north standings, 2011 nfc north standings, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers

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There is the quick update of the day.

They are tied together, Leslie Frazier and Donovan McNabb, by a
13-year relationship that helped bring the veteran quarterback to
Minnesota back in July.

That relationship, built on trust and communication, has become
more important than ever as criticism of both player and coach
starts to mount in the wake of an 0-4 start that is the worst for
the Vikings since 2002.

The two met on Monday after a 22-17 loss to Kansas City. Frazier
has faced questions about some of his in-game decisions and
McNabb’s inconsistency has some calling for rookie Christian Ponder
to take over.

So the two old friends are leaning on each other to try to get
the Vikings turned around.

“The fact that we have a history together makes it a little
easier to be pointed in conversations and not have to dance around
issues and vice versa,” Frazier said Wednesday. “Both of us being
able to communicate on that level, it does help.”

Frazier was hired as a defensive assistant on Andy Reid’s staff
in Philadelphia in 1999 when the Eagles drafted McNabb in the first
round. They entered the league together and found common ground in
their faith and levelheaded approach to a game that can include
wild swings in emotion from week to week.

Frazier wanted McNabb more than any other available veteran
quarterback when the Vikings went looking this summer after the
retirement of Brett Favre. Convinced the lockout made it close to
impossible for Ponder to be ready, Frazier wanted an established
veteran who could help the Vikings avoid a rebuilding year.

He turned to McNabb, who was benched twice during a forgettable
year in Washington, over other candidates like Matt Hasselbeck,
Bruce Gradkowski and Kerry Collins.

“That definitely made a difference,” Frazier said at the time.
“Our past, the fact that we came in the league together, my term as
a first-year coach with the Eagles and his rookie year as a player.
So, that made a difference in the conversation, my familiarity with
him and vice versa.”

McNabb took a significant pay cut to complete the trade and come
to Minnesota, hoping to revive his career and trusting his
relationship with his new coach.

“I remember watching his kids grow up,” McNabb said. “Now his
kids are taller than I am.”

Running a new offense without a summer to get it down, McNabb
ranks 30th in the league in yards passing, 28th in yards per
completion and 22nd in completion percentage.

Playing under a heavy rush on most occasions, he is completing
just 37 percent of his passes on third down. That has kept the
Vikings from sustaining drives, particularly in the second half as
they’ve let games slip away.

That prompted the meeting on Monday, and McNabb said he also met
with offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave and quarterbacks coach
Craig Johnson to “iron out some wrinkles” in the offense.

“We sat down on Monday and went into detail about where we are,
where we need to be and what has to be done going forward,” Frazier
said. “I think we’re on the same page, we know what we have to get
done. I know he’s eager to get back on the field, eager to play
another game and helping to right the ship.”

With NFC North rivals Green Bay and Detroit both off to 4-0
starts, the Vikings’ prospects of contending for a playoff spot are
daunting. Some fans have called for Ponder to take over on Sunday
against Arizona (1-3) and for the Vikings to turn their focus to
building for the future around the 12th overall pick.

But Frazier is standing firmly in McNabb’s corner. He said the
Vikings have plenty of problems right now, but quarterback isn’t
one of them. Frazier saw progress in McNabb’s performance against
the Chiefs, when he completed 18 of 30 passes for 202 yards, two
touchdowns and an interception.

That support, that open line of communication that clearly was
not there in Washington last season, is hitting home with
McNabb.

“We’ve been through four losses, that’s over and now it’s time
to move on,” McNabb said. “I look for positive things to happen in
these upcoming weeks. He does the same way, and the rest of the
team does as well.”

Frazier also was close with Favre and stuck with him at
quarterback even when the 41-year-old was hobbled by injury and
throwing interceptions left and right at the end of last season.
But Frazier was the interim coach then, and the season was already
lost.

Now that the job, and the responsibility, is totally his, no
amount of admiration or respect will be able to keep him from
benching McNabb if the team’s struggles continue.

In some ways, the real test of their relationship has yet to
come.

“What gets you to the point where you are looking at the
quarterback position like so many are doing?” Frazier said. “What
has created that conversation? Our record has a lot to do with
that.

“In my case, it’s more about our entire team, what’s best for
our team as we’re making the decision. That’s purely what it’s
about. What’s the best thing for our team at this point.”

___

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Read More: andrew luck sweepstakes, suck for luck, suckforluck, Donovan McNabb (QB – MIN), Kerry Collins (QB – IND), Andrew Luck (QB – Stanford), Curtis Painter (QB – IND), Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, Stanford Cardinal

Entering the 2011 NFL season, many people figured the Minnesota Vikings would struggle, but they also viewed the addition of Donovan McNabb as enough to get them to at least a mediocre level. Through three games however, the Vikings are struggling in numerous areas and suddenly find themselves 0-3 with a tough NFC North schedule of games coming up soon. The Vikings had a chance to get their first win against the Lions but blew a 20-0 first half lead en route to a 26-23 overtime loss. Those kinds of losses will only help in the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes.

The Suck For Luck campaign is already heating up as the Indianapolis Colts and Kansas City Chiefs are the current front runners. They both attempted to get that elusive first win on Sunday but couldn’t quite make it happen. The Colts gave the Pittsburgh Steelers all they could handle, but cam up just short. The Chiefs worked hard to fight back from 10-0 and 20-10 deficits but could not quite make it happen and fell 20-17.

The most interesting development in the Suck For Luck campaign was the change in quarterback in Indianapolis. Kerry Collins reportedly suffered a concussion in the loss and was replaced by Curtis Painter. Late in the fourth quarter, Painter drove the Colts down for a game-tying touchdown with 2:06 remaining. The Steelers got the game-winning field goal on the ensuing drive, but one has to wonder how Painter could impact the Colts. He has struggled in preseason performances but Reggie Wayne came out in favor of the young quarterback. If he can get some level of success moving forward, the Colts might not be so Luck-y.

The Seattle Seahawks remain a prime candidate for Luck but they managed a home win over the Arizona Cardinals. The NFC West is struggling to the point that the Seahawks might find themselves the unintended beneficiaries of a few wins just due to the state of their division.

Miami dropped to 0-3 as well with a tough 17-16 loss to the Cleveland Browns. They’ve shown enough that I’m not sure they have what it takes to stink up the joint all year long. Of course, at the beginning of the season I also said that I thought Indy would do decently with Collins. Shows what I know.

This week features our first Suck For Luck showdown between the 0-3 Minnesota Vikings and 0-3 Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs are entering what could be a pivotal two-game stretch as they host the Vikings and then travel to face the Colts. This could be make-or-break time for the Chiefs in that battle for the number one pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.

What do you guys think about this.

By Christopher Gates

– Managing Editor

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Sep 23, 2011 – For much of the past decade, fans of the Minnesota Vikings have been able to look at the schedule every April, find where the Detroit Lions are located, and feel pretty good about winning during those weeks. After all, the Vikings have won 18 of the last 21 games in this series, and over the course of the history of the franchise, the Vikings have more wins over Detroit than over any other team.

However, this Sunday could mark a shift in that trend, as the Lions come into this game red-hot on both sides of the ball, and are actually expected to win this weekend in Minneapolis, a city they haven’t won in since December of 1997.

Detroit comes into this week’s game tied for the lead in the NFC North with a 2-0 record. In Week One, they went on the road and defeated the same Tampa Bay Buccaneers that the Vikings lost to last week by a score of 27-20. Then, in their home opener last weekend, the Lions flat-out annihilated the Kansas City Chiefs by a final tally of 48-3, finishing the game with 41 unanswered points. Through the season’s first two weeks, the Lions are second in the NFL in points scored, averaging 37.5 points per contest, and they’re also second in the NFL in points allowed with an average of 11.5 points allowed per game.

For the Vikings, on the other hand, both of their games have been a tale of two halves. In the first halves of their two games, they’ve outscored the San Diego Chargers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by a combined total of 34-7. In the second half of those two games, they’ve been outscored by those two teams to the tune of 41-3, and that’s why the Vikings sit at 0-2 after the first two weeks of the 2011 season. The Vikings really need to get their second half woes figured out if they want this season to be anything short of an outright flop.

In past years, a visit from the Detroit Lions would have been looked upon by Vikings fans as a chance for the team to “get healthy” and get themselves back on the right track. However, with the roll that Detroit is on and the problems that Minnesota is currently facing, that certainly isn’t the case in this one.

Kickoff for this game from the Metrodome is scheduled for 12:00 PM Central time on Sunday.

Read More: vikings football, minnesota vikings football, lions football, detroit lions football, detroit at minnesota, detroit vs minnesota, lions at vikings, lions vs vikings, vikings lions preview, Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings, Sep 25, 2011 12:00 PM CDT

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That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

At the far end of an almost silent locker room, Chad Greenway sat at his stall, staring into his locker in stunned disbelief after the Minnesota Vikings let a 17-0 halftime lead slip away against Tampa Bay.

“Almost just bewildered to the point where it couldn’t happen again,” Greenway said. “Especially the way we were playing. Everyone was flying around and making plays and getting off the field on third down. Just extremely disappointed in how it all shook out today.”

For the second week in a row, the Vikings let a halftime lead get away from them. This time, they wasted a dominating performance in the first two quarters in falling 24-20 to the Buccaneers on Sunday, dropping them to 0-2.

Adrian Peterson rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns, Percy Harvin had seven catches for 76 yards, and the defense was getting pressure on Josh Freeman throughout the first half. But it all seemed to dry up in the final two quarters as Freeman rallied the Bucs to 14 points in the fourth to steal the victory.

“My first thought that goes through my mind is, ‘Wow, we gave the game away,’” Peterson said.

The star back bulldozed Ronde Barber on a 9-yard scoring run less than a minute before halftime to give the Vikings a 17-0 lead. The Vikings outgained Tampa Bay 284-62 in the first two quarters and looked to be running away with the game.

Then LeGarrette Blount ripped off a 27-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter and Donovan McNabb one-hopped a throw to an open Visanthe Shiancoe in the end zone, forcing the Vikings to settle for a field goal.

Freeman threw a 25-yard TD pass to Arrelious Benn with 6:39 to play, then drove the Bucs 61 yards in the final four minutes to cap his eighth career comeback victory. Blount polished off the drive with a 4-yard run with 31 seconds to play.

“When you play as well as we were playing, to have the tide turn as quickly and dramatically as it did, that’s frustrating,” coach Leslie Frazier said. “We’ve got to come back on Monday and figure out what the problem is and get it fixed in a hurry.”

Frazier was asked about not using any of his timeouts to stop the clock on the Bucs’ last drive to leave more time for his offense.

“I really thought that we were going to stop them on defense,” Frazier said. “I really did — force them to kick a field goal or come up with a turnover.”

The Vikings led the San Diego Chargers 17-7 at halftime of the season opener but couldn’t get anything going offensively in the second half of a 24-17 loss.

McNabb passed for just 39 yards in that game, but looked much better Sunday. He completed 18 of 30 passes for 228 yards, going downfield with more success and looking nimble on designed rollouts.

The Vikings finished with 398 total yards and didn’t commit a turnover until Percy Harvin was credited with a fumble while trying to lateral the ball on the last play of the game.

But the Vikings had two drives stall inside the 20, forcing them to settle for field goals that proved costly as the Buccaneers mounted their comeback.

Defensive ends Jared Allen and Brian Robison were in Freeman’s face throughout the first half, but the third-year pro started getting rid of the ball quicker in the second to neutralize the rush.

Blount started finding some seams in the run defense as well, rushing for 67 of his 71 yards over the final two quarters.

Freeman was 22 for 31 for 243 yards with one touchdown and one interception and Preston Parker had six catches for 98 yards.

“They kicked the crap out of us in the second half and that sucks because we were dominating them in the first half and we were playing like I know we can,” Allen said. “We’ve got to find a way to play for 60 minutes.”

Now the Vikings find themselves at the bottom of the NFC North, with the vastly improved Detroit Lions (2-0) coming to town next week brimming with confidence.

“We have to put it together,” Greenway said. “I don’t know if it’s our conditioning. I couldn’t even tell you what it was. Unfortunately we just have to deal with it right now. It’s going to be a rough week and we just have to stick together and hope (the media isn’t) too hard on us.”

NOTES: Peterson’s first TD of the game, a 1-yard run at the end of the first quarter, was the 53rd of his career. That broke Chuck Foreman’s franchise record. Peterson also surpassed 6,000 yards rushing for his career. … Vikings CB Chris Cook left the game in the first half with a strained groin and did not return. Asher Allen filled in at nickel back in Cook’s absence. … RB Toby Gerhart had the two longest plays of his young career with a 31-yard run and a 42-yard reception in the first half. … After being shut out last week, Shiancoe had three catches for 28 yards against the Bucs.

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