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.

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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Read More: Lorenzo Booker (RB – MIN), Percy Harvin (WR – MIN), Toby Gerhart (RB – MIN), Christian Ponder (QB – MIN), Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson will not play against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday after the team ruled him out following a Saturday morning walk through.

Peterson suffered a high ankle sprain last Sunday against the Oakland Raiders as early diagnosis of the injury revealed it wouldn’t keep the running back out for the season. Peterson spent much of the week out of practice and in a walking boot, hoping to heal enough to give it against Atlanta. But his doubtful status turned worse this morning when the team gathered for final game preparations.

With Peterson on the sidelines, bruising back Toby Gerhart will likely start in his place taking the bulk of the carries, while Percy Harvin and Lorenzo Booker will look to help replace the big play burst Peterson threatens opponents with by himself.

Quarterback Christian Ponder has a chance to raise his profile as a leader on offense, as the rookie will have to manage the team without leaning on Peterson to make plays to keep the ball moving.

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has been downgraded to out for Sunday’s matchup with the Atlanta Falcons, the team announced Saturday.

Peterson suffered a high ankle sprain during a Week 11 loss to the Oakland Raiders and was carted off the sideline during the second quarter of the game. Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said Monday that Peterson had suffered some ligament damage and that Friday would be an important day in the team’s evaluation of Peterson’s Week 12 status.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported that Peterson was out of his walking boot but did not participate in Friday’s practice.

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier was not optimistic that Peterson would be able to go, calling the running back “very, very doubtful.”

Peterson is sixth in the NFL in rushing with 872 yards. He’s tied with Philadelphia’s LeSean McCoy with a league-leading 12 touchdowns.

Toby Gerhart, the 2009 Heisman Trophy runner-up in his senior season at Stanford, will start in Peterson’s absence. Frazier said Lorenzo Booker could also see some time at running back, and receiver Percy Harvin will continue to receive limited carries.

Safety Husain Abdullah (concussion) and right guard Anthony Herrera (left knee) have been declared out for Sunday’s game.

Tight end Kyle Rudolph missed practice all week with a quadriceps contusion and is listed as doubtful.

Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe (hamstring) and receiver Percy Harvin (ribs) are listed as questionable after practicing on a limited basis Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Once again, I am dealing with the conflicting emotions of unconditional love for the Minnesota Vikings and the embarrassment that often accompanies it. The Vikings lost another game, bringing their record to 2-8 for the first time since 1962.

The loss to Oakland follows an equally embarrassing loss to the Green Bay Packers. It would be one thing if these games were fought hard and lost respectably. Instead, some unknown force has sucked all the ambition and drive out of the Minnesota Vikings. Their playing is disorganized at best, rife with false starts and other mistakes that should not even be part of the equation in the NFL.

Although there were plenty of cringe-worthy moments during the game, the most embarrassing plays occurred during the second quarter. The downward spiral began when Christian Poner threw his first interception of the game and continued through multiple penalties. The Oakland Raiders managed to sneak a touchdown into the last two minutes of the second quarter. Then, in the most embarrassing field goal attempt since Gary Anderson missed in 1999, Chris Kluwe(notes) fumbled, making it impossible for Ryan Longwell(notes) to tie up the game at 10-10. Following this Vikings doozy, the Raiders celebrated a second touchdown.

Poor playing aside, I knew the game was over the instant Adrian Peterson sprained his ankle. Nothing against Toby Gerhardt, but it just isn’t possible to replace Peterson, especially for a team on which the entire strategy is built around the running back. According to Leslie Frazier, Peterson only has a Grade 1 ankle sprain, so chances are decent that he’ll be returning for the next game in Atlanta. That is possibly the only good news I’ve heard about the Minnesota Vikings in the last several weeks.

Things aren’t looking much better for next week. The Minnesota Vikings head to Atlanta, potentially without Adrian Peterson. The Atlanta Falcons are looking pretty good this year, with a 6-4 record and a recent victory over the Tennessee Titans. Vikings fans may have to put up with yet another week of bitter disappointment.

Born and raised in Minnesota, S. Gustafson has remained faithful to the Vikings through their many ups and downs.

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It’s like Monday night all over again.

At halftime, the Minnesota Vikings are down 24-7 to the Oakland Raiders and nothing appears to be going right for the purple and gold.

The defense can’t find a way to slow down Carson Palmer and the Raiders’ passing game and the offense continues to shoot itself in the foot with penalties and poor blocking.

The biggest story of the first half for the Vikings is the loss of running back Adrian Peterson. During a 12-yard run, Peterson’s left ankle got rolled up on and he came up limping. After being helped off of the field, he was eventually taken to the locker room where the training staff continued to work on his ankle.

The team released that Peterson has a sprained left ankle and is questionable to return to the game. Although it seems unlikely that he’ll return, I wouldn’t expect the Vikings to want to return him to the lineup with the lopsided score staring them in the face. Instead, they need to give Toby Gerhart some opportunities to get some work in while Peterson rests his ankle.

Prior to the injury, Peterson scored the Vikings’ only touchdown of the day on a 12-yard scamper that capped off a drive that included three 15-yard penalties by the Raiders.

The Raiders have gotten touchdowns from Michael Bush (2-yard run), Chaz Schilens (11-yard catch) and Palmer (1-yard run). The offense has been firing on all cylinders and doesn’t appear to be slowing down. With the big lead, expect the running game to become a focus in the second half.

The only other positive aspect of the Vikings’ offensive performance to this point is the running of rookie quarterback Christian Ponder. With the overwhelming amount of poor pass blocking, Ponder has been forced to scramble numerous times in hopes of keeping his life. So far, the young gunslinger has ran for 54 yards while throwing for only 67.

If the Vikings have any hopes of making this a game, they need to put the ball in the hands of Percy Harvin (four catches, 46 yards) and hope that the defense can find a way to slow down Palmer and the Raiders offense.

Here we go with another 30 minutes of what can only be assumed to be ugly Vikings football.

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.

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Six weeks into the season, the Minnesota Vikings were going nowhere fast.

Donovan McNabb wasn’t giving them the steady, capable play at quarterback the team was counting on, the defense was giving up chunks in the running game like it hasn’t in more than a decade and new coach Leslie Frazier was having difficulty coming to grips with what was coming increasingly obvious to most around the franchise — this was going to be a rebuilding year.

Veterans were grumbling, fans were booing and a malaise had set in around the team’s headquarters as everyone braced for a long and painful season.

Three weeks later, the Vikings head into the bye week still at 2-6 and nowhere close to contention in the competitive NFC North. But the fog has been lifted, ever since rookie Christian Ponder took over at quarterback. He is 1-1 in his two starts, but more importantly has provided an energy and an optimism that has changed the team dynamic.

“I’ve seen glimpses along the way of what we could be, and it seems that we’re really gaining a type of confidence and playing at a level that you need to play at on a more consistent basis,” Frazier said. “So it gives me a lot of hope for our future with our remaining eight games and beyond. We’re definitely heading in the right direction.”

Ponder took over in the fourth quarter of a 39-10 loss at Chicago on Oct. 16. Frazier named him the starter for the rest of the season after that performance. The 12th overall draft pick out of Florida State is only completing 52 percent of his passes, but he’s added a downfield element to the passing game and had some success on third down that just wasn’t there when McNabb was under center.

“I’m just going out and trying to do my best and hopefully that brings confidence to the guys and they have confidence in me and what I’m doing,” Ponder said. “But I’m just trying to go out and make plays.”

Despite throwing two interceptions in his first start against Green Bay, Ponder never gave in and rallied the Vikings in the fourth quarter only to come up a little short in a 33-27 loss to the defending Super Bowl champions. He then threw for 236 yards and a touchdown to help the Vikings to a 24-21 win at Carolina, their first road victory of the year.

It’s far too early to make a blanket judgment, but the initial signs are positive that the Vikings have finally found a quarterback they can build around for the future. After years of using aging veterans — from Randall Cunningham to Jeff George to Brad Johnson, Brett Favre and McNabb — as short-term solutions to the most important position in the sport, it’s conceivable that those days are behind them.

Now, they at least have hope, which is a start. And you have to start somewhere.

“Just young exuberance, a lot of energy and he’s getting out there trying to make plays and trying to help us win,” receiver Michael Jenkins said of the rook. “So everybody is feeding off of that.”

It’s not like Ponder is the only thing the Vikings have going for them these days. Adrian Peterson leads the league with 798 yards rushing and nine touchdowns and Jared Allen has 12½ sacks, putting him on pace to break the single-season sack record.

But it’s also clear that the team has numerous areas to address, from spotty offensive line play to the lack of a true downfield threat at receiver and a secondary that has been decimated by injuries to Antoine Winfield, the suspension of Chris Cook after he was arrested on domestic assault charges and the inability of their safeties to be playmakers against the run or the pass.

“We know we have a lot of things we have to work on and improve and this gives us a chance to kind of step back, evaluate things, yet give our players a chance to rest and hopefully get some guys back physically to 100 percent,” Frazier said.

Winfield is expected back in the lineup when the Vikings return to action on Nov. 7 at Green Bay. The week off should also help receiver Percy Harvin, who has been dealing with a rib injury most of the season.

Whatever happens the rest of this season, as long as Ponder continues to show progress and assert himself as a leader on this team in transition, the rebuilding effort won’t be as daunting as was initially feared.

“I love this game. I love being in this position,” Ponder said. “It’s been a dream come true for me. It’s the best job in the world to be honest with you. I’m loving being here. I’ve worked really hard to get here, so I’m just savoring everything.”

___

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

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. – Six weeks into the season, the Minnesota Vikings were going nowhere fast.

Donovan McNabb wasn’t giving them the steady, capable play at quarterback the team was counting on, the defence was giving up chunks in the running game like it hasn’t in more than a decade and new coach Leslie Frazier was having difficulty coming to grips with what was coming increasingly obvious to most around the franchise — this was going to be a rebuilding year.

Veterans were grumbling, fans were booing and a malaise had set in around the team’s headquarters as everyone braced for a long and painful season.

Three weeks later, the Vikings head into the bye week still at 2-6 and nowhere close to contention in the competitive NFC North. But the fog has been lifted, ever since rookie Christian Ponder took over at quarterback. He is 1-1 in his two starts, but more importantly has provided an energy and an optimism that has changed the team dynamic.

“I’ve seen glimpses along the way of what we could be, and it seems that we’re really gaining a type of confidence and playing at a level that you need to play at on a more consistent basis,” Frazier said. “So it gives me a lot of hope for our future with our remaining eight games and beyond. We’re definitely heading in the right direction.”

Ponder took over in the fourth quarter of a 39-10 loss at Chicago on Oct. 16. Frazier named him the starter for the rest of the season after that performance. The 12th overall draft pick out of Florida State is only completing 52 per cent of his passes, but he’s added a downfield element to the passing game and had some success on third down that just wasn’t there when McNabb was under centre.

“I’m just going out and trying to do my best and hopefully that brings confidence to the guys and they have confidence in me and what I’m doing,” Ponder said. “But I’m just trying to go out and make plays.”

Despite throwing two interceptions in his first start against Green Bay, Ponder never gave in and rallied the Vikings in the fourth quarter only to come up a little short in a 33-27 loss to the defending Super Bowl champions. He then threw for 236 yards and a touchdown to help the Vikings to a 24-21 win at Carolina, their first road victory of the year.

It’s far too early to make a blanket judgment, but the initial signs are positive that the Vikings have finally found a quarterback they can build around for the future. After years of using aging veterans — from Randall Cunningham to Jeff George to Brad Johnson, Brett Favre and McNabb — as short-term solutions to the most important position in the sport, it’s conceivable that those days are behind them.

Now, they at least have hope, which is a start. And you have to start somewhere.

“Just young exuberance, a lot of energy and he’s getting out there trying to make plays and trying to help us win,” receiver Michael Jenkins said of the rook. “So everybody is feeding off of that.”

It’s not like Ponder is the only thing the Vikings have going for them these days. Adrian Peterson leads the league with 798 yards rushing and nine touchdowns and Jared Allen has 12 1/2 sacks, putting him on pace to break the single-season sack record.

But it’s also clear that the team has numerous areas to address, from spotty offensive line play to the lack of a true downfield threat at receiver and a secondary that has been decimated by injuries to Antoine Winfield, the suspension of Chris Cook after he was arrested on domestic assault charges and the inability of their safeties to be playmakers against the run or the pass.

“We know we have a lot of things we have to work on and improve and this gives us a chance to kind of step back, evaluate things, yet give our players a chance to rest and hopefully get some guys back physically to 100 per cent,” Frazier said.

Winfield is expected back in the lineup when the Vikings return to action on Nov. 7 at Green Bay. The week off should also help receiver Percy Harvin, who has been dealing with a rib injury most of the season.

Whatever happens the rest of this season, as long as Ponder continues to show progress and assert himself as a leader on this team in transition, the rebuilding effort won’t be as daunting as was initially feared.

“I love this game. I love being in this position,” Ponder said. “It’s been a dream come true for me. It’s the best job in the world to be honest with you. I’m loving being here. I’ve worked really hard to get here, so I’m just savoring everything.”

___

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

To say the Minnesota Vikings have had a disappointing start to the 2011 season would be a massive understatement. After Donovan McNabb(notes) was brought in to run an offense powered largely by Adrian Peterson the last four seasons, many fans thought that the final piece had been put in place. The giant puzzle that is the Minnesota Vikings franchise had been solved with the addition of a quarterback with years of experience in a winning franchise.

It was all downhill from game one. Our beloved Vikings are now 1-6, with the lone win coming against the lowly Arizona Cardinals. There might not be much left to look forward to this year, but here are a few reasons why the Minnesota Vikings should have a decent 2012:

1) Adrian Peterson is locked down for quite a while, and doesn’t look like he’s slowing down. Despite being in his fifth NFL season, Peterson is still leading the NFL in yards gained at the running back position.

It is rare for a running back to maintain this type of edge for this long, but Peterson is truly a different type of athlete. As long as he is a Viking, fans have something to be excited for.

2) Christian Ponder(notes) looks like a better pick than we could have first imagined. That is a very good sign. Ponder is 0-1 this year, but his start against the Packers provided fans with a look at his long-range capabilities, his running skills, and his game management. Overall, I think most Vikings fans were impressed. Next year should be a breakout season for the young quarterback.

3) The Packers and Lions can’t stay this hot. Alright, Aaron Rodgers(notes) is a great quarterback, and Matthew Stafford(notes) is pretty tough too. However, both of them are having stellar years. Rodgers has proven himself the last two years, but Stafford is still young and unproven. The Packers have an aging defense that is struggling against the pass this year, and shouldn’t be much better next year barring any major pickups. The Lions are still a relatively young team, but I see their offense hitting struggles without a stronger running game.

The fact is, Vikings fans cannot let this season get them down. While the chances of making the playoffs this year are near nothing, there is always next year. And with players like Christian Ponder, Adrian Peterson, Jared Allen(notes), and Percy Harvin(notes) on the roster, we should be in for some Purple Pride once again.

Viking fans: Keep your heads up.

Jack Grunpe is a Minnesota Vikings fan who has resided in the state his entire life. Read more of Jack’s articles about the Vikings for insight into games, players, and the season!

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Thus far, the Minnesota Vikings have had a rough go of it. They are 1-6, 0-3 within their own division, and looking like they will miss the playoffs once again despite a promising roster with names like Jared Allen(notes), Adrian Peterson, and Percy Harvin(notes). If they are to win against the Panthers this weekend, they will need to work on a few key things.

1) Christian Ponder(notes) needs to bring the same intensity for his second start as he did for his first. The last thing that Christian can afford to do is relax. He needs to bring the same preparation to this game as he did against the reigning Super Bowl Champions. If Ponder throws for two or more touchdowns, I believe the Vikings have a better than 80% chance of winning.

2) Adrian Peterson needs to turn in another stellar performance. The best running back in the NFL can have a big day against the Panthers, and if he does, the Vikings should win. If Peterson turns in over 100 yards of rushing offense, more than likely the Minnesota Vikings will stand as the victors. Why? Because the run game consumes a lot of time, and when that time has your offense on the field and not Cam Newton(notes), the ability of the Panthers to score should be diminished greatly.

3) The run defense needs to get better, especially with Cam Newton in the pocket. Newton has been shredding run defenses thus far this year, but it hasn’t really equated to wins. If the Minnesota Vikings can limit Newton to less than 50 yards on the ground, they should put a notch in the win column after Sunday’s game. Newton can single-handedly change the outcome of a game with his running ability, so the Vikings need to be prepared make him beat them with his arm.

Overall, despite their 1-6 record I give the edge to the Vikings. They have a talented young quarterback that is playing with a lot of confidence, a running back that leads the NFL in rushing yards, and a defense that is hungry to prove it can rise to the occasion. If the Vikings can make good on these three points, they should find themselves the winners on Sunday.

Jack Grunpe is a Minnesota Vikings fan, and has been for life. He has written several articles about the Vikings.

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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.

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.

Let’s continue our look back at some of the more interesting plays from the Detroit Lions’ 26-23 overtime win over the Minnesota Vikings.

Fourth Quarter:

(15:00) It has to be difficult to not go to Calvin Johnson every time the Detroit Lions are in the red zone. 

Despite Johnson hauling in his second touchdown pass of the game on the first play of the fourth quarter, he actually wasn’t Matthew Stafford’s first option. 

On play-action, Stafford’s first read was left to Nate Burleson, but the Vikings had taken him away.  Because of good pressure from the interior, Stafford was forced to roll to his right.  While on the move, he fired a pass between two Vikings defenders to Johnson in the back of the end zone.  It was a tough throw, but the ability to make a play on the move is a skill Stafford has flashed early this season.

(14:19) One of the dangers of putting eight men in the box is it creates single coverage on the outside. With the Lions playing soft man-to-man, the Vikings ran a quick bubble screen to Percy Harvin on 1st-and-20 play, and the speedy wide receiver was able to pick up the first down. 

This play was similar to the one in the first quarter, which would have likely gone for a touchdown, but was dropped by Harvin. 

(11:33) This was the defining play of the game, 4th-and-1 for the Vikings at the Lions 17. If they make it, they kill some clock and could potentially make it a two-score game again. 

The Lions brought the beef with the short-yardage defense, bunching Ndamukong Suh, Corey Williams and Sammie Lee Hill at the line. When the ball was snapped, Suh got a great jump, plowing through the line and making a mess of bodies. 

Andre Fluellen, playing on the left side of the defensive line, also got a fantastic jump, and was the first player to make contact with Toby Gerhart, forcing him to bounce to his left.  

That subtle bounce out put Gerhart right into the path of Kyle Vanden Bosch, who had lined up wide to the right, giving him a great angle on the ball when the left side held and forced the run his way. 

The bottom line, the entire defensive line did their jobs on this play to force the turnover. 

(5:30) We know how difficult it is to cover Calvin Johnson, so let’s give Minnesota cornerback Chris Cook some credit. Yeah, he got beat on a jump ball in the third quarter, but he also broke one up with perfect positioning in the second.  

There was also this play. Johnson lined up in the slot, and after bouncing off an initial bump at the line, was picked up by Cook as he streaked down the center of the field toward the end zone. 

Johnson had inside position as Matthew Stafford fired a pass his way, but Cook came off Johnson’s back hip, cut in front and made a leaping play on the ball. 

Cook is in his second season out of Virginia, and at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, he is one of the bigger cornerbacks in the league.  If his play in this game was indicative of his overall maturation, he’s going to be really good.

(1:22) We’re skipping ahead a bit here. At this point the Lions had taken the lead after a pair of Jason Hanson field goals. 

The Vikings were driving, hoping to at least tie the game. On 3rd-and-5, McNabb decided to take a shot at the end zone. 

Chris Houston was matched up on the outside with Bernard Berrian. Playing tight, Houston was wary of a comeback route for the first down, sticking on the inside of Berrian’s hip. But the receiver turned on the jets and got a step on Houston down the sideline.

Fortunately for the Lions, McNabb didn’t have good touch all day. On this play, he overthrew Berrian by five feet, forcing the Vikings to settle for a field goal.

(1:11) This won’t be a popular opinion, but after watching the film, I thought Jeff Backus had played a decent game up until the fourth quarter. The majority of the blame of both of Jared Allen’s earlier sacks fell on other players.

But in the fourth quarter, Allen started to have his way, generally at the expense of Backus.  On the Lions’ final drive of regulation, Backus almost cost the Lions the game.  

First, he picked up back-to-back false start penalties, both caused by the same subtle leg twitch.  Backus doesn’t pick up a lot of false starts, so this was just unusual.

With the Lions now facing 1st-and-20 at their own 10, Backus simply got beat by Allen. There’s really nothing else to say about it.  The sack pushed the Lions back seven more yards.

(1:01) After McNabb missed on Berrian, overtime looked like the best option for the Vikings, but Allen almost gave his team the win with a safety.

The Lions, desperate to run out the clock while backed up against their own end zone, tried a Jahvid Best run to the left, but linebacker Chad Greenway blew up the running lane, forcing Best to pop outside. 

Allen broke off Backus’ block and got an arm around Best in the end zone, but the Lions running back was able to keep his balance and stumble forward three yards for no gain on the play.

Score at the end of the fourth quarter: Vikings 23, Lions 23

Overtime:

(13:37) One play after he picked up a first down with an impressive 17-yard grab across the middle, Titus Young made a big mistake. 

On 1st-and-10 from their own 46, Stafford looked to hit the rookie on a quick slant in one-on-one coverage. But at the snap, linebacker E.J. Henderson dropped back, read Stafford’s eyes and went to deliver a hit on Young as the ball arrived. 

Sensing the hit, Young pulled up on the route, haphazardly reaching out as the ball sailed past. 

Young was fortunate cornerback Cedric Griffin wasn’t in position to make the play.  The rookie knows he’s going to see contact over the middle and he can’t avoid it at the risk of potentially turning the ball over. 

(13:34) There’s nothing more to add on Johnson’s catch at the end of the game. All the adjectives have been used.  The Lions have so many offensive weapons that they make you pick your poison, but opposing coaches will think long and hard before playing man-to-man on Megatron the rest of the season.

Final score: Lions 26, Vikings 23