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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gotta run!.

Sapp

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Benny Sapp was cited for fifth degree assault after an alleged altercation with security officers at Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis.

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Benny Sapp was cited for fifth-degree assault and careless driving, both misdemeanors, after an alleged altercation with security at Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.

Police were called Friday morning after the football player and his 11-year-old son tried to enter the hospital through a closed entrance. The Star Tribune described the alleged incident:

A hospital security guard directed Sapp to another entrance. But, according to Public Information Officer Bill Palmer of the Minneapolis Police Department, Sapp soon returned with his son and stated his intent to enter the building through the closed entrance whether he was allowed to or not. Denied again, Sapp left the 11-year-old with the hospital security guard, indicating the boy’s mother was inside and stating he had to go to work.

Sapp then returned to his car in a nearby parking deck, where a security officer attempted to detain him. A physical altercation ensued, Sapp allegedly pushing the security guard and then driving toward the exit of the ramp.

At the parking deck exit, another confrontation broke in out in which Palmer said Sapp chest-bumped a security officer and later “used his vehicle to try to move the officer out of the way.”

Police told the newspaper they had no information on whether Sapp’s vehicle made actual contact with the security officer. Security was attempting to handcuff the cornerback when police arrived. Palmer said Sapp was cooperative with police and wasn’t arrested, but will face a future court date.

A Vikings spokesman told the Associated Press the team is aware of the incident. Sapp’s agent did not return messages Saturday.

Also Read

Gotta run!.

Last Saturday, against the Washington Redskins, fans watched in horror as Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson’s knee broke the laws of anatomy. Unfortunately for Peterson and the Vikings, the consequences might be costlier than just missing the last game of the 2011 season.

After undergoing an MRI, it was revealed that Peterson had torn both the ACL and MCL in his left knee, among other damage.

Peterson underwent surgery on Friday to repair the torn ligaments and the procedure was a success.

“We’ve received word that Adrian underwent successful knee surgery with Dr. James Andrews and is now resting comfortable,” the Vikings announced Friday afternoon. “Adrian is in our thoughts, we wish him a speedy recovery and we look forward to seeing him when he returns to Minnesota.”

Typically, this type of injury would take anywhere from eight to nine months to heal before the knee could begin to undergo any sort of physical exertion. The Vikings, however, have already made it clear that they expect Peterson back and ready to go to kick off the 2012 regular season in September.

Despite all of the optimism radiating from the Vikings’ front office and staff, I still have my doubts that Peterson is going to return as the same running back that carved up NFL defenses for the past five seasons.

Don’t get me wrong; I’d love nothing more than to have Peterson suited up and ready to wreak havoc at the beginning of the 2012 NFL season. He’s the centerpiece of the Vikings’ offense and the prime building block for the future of this franchise. But to be so optimistic about an injury that could hinder Peterson for the rest of his life seems a bit naïve.

To illustrate my point, I call your attention to the Daunte Culpepper fallout of 2005.

Arguably the last quality quarterback the Vikings could call their own, Culpepper was on the verge of carving his own niche in the NFL. He was coming off of a 2004 season that saw him throw for 4,717 yards while setting the since-broken NFL record for total yards in a single-season by a quarterback with 5,123. The Vikings’ former first-round pick was a three-time Pro Bowler in his first six years in the NFL. For Culpepper, everything was falling into place until one fateful day in 2005 against the Carolina Panthers.

During a Vikings’ mid-season matchup with the Panthers, Culpepper had his knee taken out, tearing his ACL, MCL and PCL in the process. I won’t bore you with any numbers, but it’s safe to say that Culpepper was never the same player after rehabbing from the devastating injury. He spent a few more years jumping from team to team in the NFL before finally settling for the UFL, where he still struggles to dominate against much weaker opposition. Prior to the start of the 2011 NFL season, Culpepper made himself available to quarterback-needy NFL teams, and not a single team bit.

Although many will argue that Peterson will be fine considering that he didn’t pull off the tear trifecta a la Culpepper and he’s a different breed of athlete, a knee is a knee. Regardless of the person or their will to persevere, a knee simply isn’t supposed to bend that way and damage like that is usually a life-long limitation.

A big reason as to why Peterson is so great is his ability to cut on a dime and burst through the hole with overwhelming strength. That relentless power and explosiveness that he runs with makes him so dangerous. However, with a knee injury of this magnitude, that explosiveness and burst are gone. No stable knee equals no bowling over defenders with ease. Without strong, healthy knee ligaments, Peterson can’t cut properly and the Vikings’ homerun threat is degraded to a one-dimensional back who is better off watching from the sidelines.

The biggest factor at this point will be how Peterson’s knee responds to the rehabilitation and whether or not the Vikings wait until he’s as ready as can be. The worst thing Peterson could do is play prematurely and cause even more damage to the knee. Especially at a wear-and-tear heavy position like running back, Peterson’s at horrible risk of causing irreparable damage if he plays before the knee is 100 percent healthy.

The Vikings will play Peterson when they feel he is ready, and he’s a smart enough player to not insert himself into the lineup before his knee is properly prepared to take a beating. The main concern, though, is whether or not we’ll ever see the lethal version of No. 28 again.

If there’s any player who can bounce back from an injury of this magnitude and still play at the same level, it’s Peterson. He’s as elite of an athlete as they come, and he’ll be working non-stop offseason to get himself primed for football. Add in the training prowess of Vikings head trainer Eric Sugarman and you’ve got a recipe for success. I reiterate, though: there’s a reason knees don’t bend sideways.

I’m not rooting for him to fail; I’m just trying to prepare you for the reality that All Day may never again play like the All Day so many Vikings fans have come to know and love.

Could this be the beginning of the Toby Gerhart era in Minnesota? Only time will tell.

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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Minnesota Vikings running back
Adrian Peterson will have surgery today to repair two torn
ligaments in his left knee, six days after he was injured in a
win against the Washington Redskins.

Peterson, 26, who is in his fifth season with the Vikings,
was selected for the Pro Bowl in each of his first four National
Football League seasons. He finished this season with 970 yards
rushing, after running for at least 1,298 yards in each
preceding season.

Peterson was placed on injured reserve on Dec. 26, two days
after tearing the anterior cruciate and medial collateral
ligaments in his left knee. Vikings trainer Eric Sugarman had
said the surgery would take place early in 2012.

“In this case, everything was in place to have the
surgery,” Vikings coach Leslie Frazier told reporters
yesterday. “He’s anxious to get his surgery done and get
started on his rehab.”

To contact the reporter on this story:
Rob Gloster in San Francisco at
rgloster@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Michael Sillup at
msillup@bloomberg.net

Not much else going on in the NFL world today.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP)—Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson
has scheduled surgery to repair his left knee.

Dr. James Andrews will perform the operation Friday in Alabama, six days
after Peterson tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his
knee while being tackled in a game against the Washington Redskins.

Coach Leslie Frazier said Peterson will be back in Minnesota on Monday for
the team’s season-ending meetings. His rehabilitation work will be done in
Minnesota and his home state of Texas.

Peterson was on crutches Thursday when he entered the locker room, but he
didn’t speak to reporters. He finished the season with 970 yards and 12
touchdowns rushing in 12 games.

The Vikings have said they expect him to be ready for next year’s opener.

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Read More: Josh McCown (QB – CHI), Michael Strahan (DE – NYG), Jared Allen (DE – MIN), Jay Cutler (QB – CHI), Kahlil Bell (RB – CHI), Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings are 3-12 and without star running back Adrian Peterson heading into Week 17, but the Chicago Bears have lost five games in a row and are left with Josh McCown and Kahlil Bell to lead the offensive unit. Neither team expected to be in this situation at the end of the season, but now it’s about who can make the best of it. Bell has been running hard for the Bears, and may be looking to make a statement against the Vikings, the team that cut him before he made his way to Chicago. Meanwhile, Jared Allen needs 4.5 sacks to surpsass the NFL single-season record set by Michael Strahan. There are still some interesting aspects to a game that has no bearing on the playoff picture.

The five-man panel at CBS Sports has released picks for Week 17, and three out of five experts expect the Bears to lose the season finale. Pete Prisco explained his prediction of a Bears in the following way:

The Bears season went right down the drain when Jay Cutler got hurt. What could have been? Now they are playing a meaningless division road game to close it. How motivated will they be? The Vikings are at home, which is why they are the pick — even without Adrian Peterson. Vikings 21, Bears 21.

It wouldn’t be the best thing for the Vikings in terms of 2012 NFL Draft position, but no doubt the players on the field would love to cap the season with a victory.

For more on the Chicago Bears, head over to Windy City Gridiron. Vikings news is always available at Daily Norseman. Stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago for more Chicago sports updates and breaking news.

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The Minnesota Vikings already lost one of their franchise players in a game where they were already eliminated from playoff contention when Adrian Peterson tore his ACL and MCL against the Washington Redskins on December 24, 2011. Should they take another chance with the man that they drafted with the 12^th-overall draft pick in the 2011 NFL Draft?

Christian Ponder is expected to start in Minnesota’s 2011-12 regular-season finale against the Chicago Bears on January 1, 2012. Doctors have cleared him to play as he has passed all the necessary tests following a concussion that he suffered against the Redskins. The injury occurred when Redskins linebacker London Fletcher put a powerful hit on Ponder when the game was tied 10-10.

Ponder admitted that this was the second concussion that he has had in his football career. The Vikings invested heavily in Ponder when they selected him with their 12^th pick. Ponder was the fourth quarterback taken after Cam Newton, Jake Locker and Blaine Gabbert.

I’m a bit surprised that the Vikings don’t err on the side of caution. Concussions can be unpredictable. It doesn’t help that Steve Hutchinson won’t be protecting him against a Bears’ defensive line that includes Henry Melton and Julius Peppers. Hutchinson was placed on injured reserve with his own head injury.

Ponder doesn’t need to rush back. Joe Webb has outperformed Ponder in his past two outings. Webb completed 4-of-5 passes for 84 yards and two touchdowns against the Redskins. He also had a rushing touchdown as he led the Vikings to a 33-26 victory after Ponder left the game. The Vikings were also trailing 21-0 to the Detroit Lions before Webb led them within a couple yards of a comeback. The Vikings eventually lost 34-28 after a facemask penalty went uncalled.

That doesn’t even include his performance against the Philadelphia Eagles last season. Webb outplayed Michael Vick while the Eagles were gunning for a first-round bye. The Vikings won 24-14.

Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier gave his support for Ponder as the starting quarterback. According to Frazier:

“I think you always want to do whatever is best for your team and whatever gives your team the best chance to win. Right now, Christian being our starting quarterback, that’s our belief.”

It’ll be interesting to see how the Vikings handle their quarterback situation heading into the 2012-13 season. The front office will obviously favor Ponder because of what they invested in him. However, it may be difficult to keep Webb benched if he continues to take advantage of these situations.

More from Yahoo! Contributor Network

NFL Injury Update: Minnesota Vikings’ Adrian Peterson Tears ACL and MCL

Don’t Count on the Green Bay Packers Resting Starters in Week 17: Fan’s Take

Greatest Playoff Games for the Green Bay Packers in the 21st Century: Fan’s Take

Five Players that the Chicago Cubs Should Trade Before 2012 Spring Training: Fan’s Wish List

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

That’s all the news for today.

Read More: Lorenzo Booker (RB – MIN), Toby Gerhart (RB – MIN), Jordan Todman (RB – MIN), San Diego Chargers, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings

With star running back Adrian Peterson out for the season after tearing his ACL last week, the Minnesota Vikings have claimed running back Jordan Todman off of the San Diego Chargers’ practice squad to give them some extra depth at the position. He’s expected to be on the active roster as the Vikings finish off their season against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

Todman was San Diego’s 2011 sixth-round pick out of Connecticut. A two-year starter with the Huskies, he was named Big East Offensive Player of the Year in 2010 after rushing for 1695 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior. Todman hasn’t seen action in the NFL yet, as he’s spent his short professional career on San Diego’s practice squad.

With Peterson out against Chicago, Todman will likely be the third-string running back for the Vikings. Toby Gerhart should get the start for Minnesota while Lorenzo Booker will be the primary back-up. Both Chicago and Minnesota will be missing key players for this week’s game as neither team will be making the playoffs this season.

For more on the Chicago Bears, head over to Windy City Gridiron. And stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago for more Chicago sports updates and breaking news.

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Gotta run!.

Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton remembers the days of playing in old Metropolitan Stadium. And he’d love to see the team go back to the great outdoors when they move out of the Metrodome — but stay in Minnesota, of course.

He calls playing outside part of “the culture of Minnesota.”

“It’s what separates that great part of the country from the rest of the country,” Tarkenton said. “We ought to have outdoor football.”

In this week’s TwinCities.com video, Tarkenton focuses on playing outdoors vs. indoors. Among the highlights:

– Tarkenton told stories about former Vikings coach Bud Grant wanting the team to embrace the cold — refusing to allow heaters on the sideline, for example.

“He’s the

A rendering of a Vikings stadium in downtown Minneapolis. (AECOM)

greatest character in the history of the world, and the greatest coach in the history of the world and my mentor,” Tarkenton said. “But he was so funny with the cold weather.”

– Tarkenton said playing outside in Green Bay doesn’t help the Packers. Playing on a dry field, even in a dome, helps.

“They don’t run the ball, and they don’t play good defense. … For Green Bay, home-field advantage is not an advantage,” he said.

Editor’s note: Fran Tarkenton is a former quarterback with the Minnesota Vikings and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He also is an advocate for small businesses and the founder of OneMoreCustomer.com. Now Tarkenton adds the title of Vikings analyst for TwinCities.com and the Pioneer Press.

An artists rendering provided by the Minnesota Vikings shows the development of business in the area surrounding a possible Minnsota Vikings football stadium in Arden Hills. (Courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings)

Comment Below!.

MOORHEAD – Minnesota Vikings fans may have to curb their newfound enthusiasm about news of an agreement for a new stadium.

State Representative Morrie Lanning of Moorhead responded on Monday to reports made by NBC’s Football Night in America contributor Peter King that a stadium deal between the National Football League team and the state was close and no longer a matter of “if” but “when.”

“He (King) did not talk with me, and as far as I know there is nothing new to report,” said Lanning about King’s report that was televised Sunday evening. “My understanding is that he talked with one or two people either from the Vikings or the NFL and put the most positive spin on whatever he heard from those people.”

Lanning, who represents District 9A, also said he could see why people reading King’s report would think there would be something new to report on the stadium issue.

The Minnesota Vikings (3-12) are set to play their final game under its current lease agreement with the Metrodome on Sunday against the Chicago Bears. The team has played at the Metrodome since 1982.

The Vikings have said they will not renew their lease with the Metrodome at the end of this season if there is not a deal for a new stadium in place.

Los Angeles land developers have expressed interest in bringing football to the city and there is a belief that the Vikings would be a leading candidate to relocate if the state legislature can’t pass a stadium bill to keep the team in Minnesota.

Lanning said lawmakers are set to meet again this week to continue discussions.

“Later in the week and next week will be a critical time to set forth a proposal,” Lanning said.

Lanning also said the naming of the new Senate majority leader will be a big development in future stadium discussions. He told The Forum it was his understanding the new Senate majority leader could be decided as early as today, but also said it could be delayed if not all members of the Republican caucus are in agreement.

Currently there a several parties working on keeping the Vikings in Minnesota, including the team itself.

There are plans for a stadium to be built in Arden Hills, Minn. – located in Ramsey County – along with possible building sites being discussed in Minneapolis.

The Vikings have played in Minnesota since they entered the NFL as an expansion franchise in 1961.

The key problem surrounding the stadium has been funding.

Minnesota is in a budget crunch and many state legislators have publicly voiced concerns over giving large amounts of state funds for the construction of a stadium.

Lanning, along with State Senator Julie Rosen of Fairmont and Governor Mark Dayton, have been the key figures in the stadium debate.

“We remain hopeful and optimistic of putting a reasonable plan to submit to the legislature,” Lanning said. “We’re just not there yet.”

Readers can reach Forum copy editor

Tom Mix at (701) 451-5750

Tags:
sports, viking, football

Not much else going on in the NFL world today.

The Minnesota Vikings can’t catch a break. You’d think a team
that played its first season way back in 1961 would receive one by
now.

The Vikings haven’t had much to get excited about this
season.

There was the Week 3 win over the Arizona Cardinals (34-10).

There was the 24-21 win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 8 and
the 33-26 win over the Washington Redskins on Christmas Eve.

And that’s it.

The other 13 weeks on the schedule are marked with the letter
“L.”

The 3-12 Vikings are suffering through their worst season in
decades.

You have to go back to 1984 to find a Vikings team that only won
three games. That team was 3-13.

You have to go back to 1962 to find a Vikings team that won two
games. That team finished 2-11-1.

The initial Vikings of 1961 were 3-11 and have a better winning
percentage than this year’s bunch.

So the Vikings pick up their third win of the season and in the
process lose their franchise running back Adrian Peterson to a
devastating knee injury.

Go figure.

Safe to say, the Vikings would give back that win for a healthy
Peterson in a heartbeat.

Who knows if Peterson will be able to return for the 2012
season?

Who knows if he’ll ever be the same when he does return?

Some are questioning why Peterson was playing in a basically
meaningless game this late in the season. After all, he’d been
hampered with an ankle injury.

So no one could have blamed him or the Vikings if they’d just
shut him down until the 2012 season.

But that’s not how Adrian Peterson is wired.

He’s a competitor, and guys like that want to play.

Guys like that want the ball every down, no matter if the team
is 12-2 or 2-12.

So if Peterson was healthy enough to play, he was going to
play.

No one, however, expected him to rip up his knee in the
process.

But Viking fans have grown accustomed to disappointment.

It’s been happening for decades and there’s not enough column
space to go into much detail.

Viking fans can recite the history from memory.

There’s the four Super Bowl losses.

There was the Cowboys’ Drew Pearson push-off.

There was the Herschel Walker debacle with the Cowboys, as
well.

There was the 1998 NFC championship game heartbreaking loss to
the Atlanta Falcons.

There was the 2003 last-second loss to the Arizona Cardinals on
a fourth and 25 that knocked the Purple out of the playoffs.

There was the crushing 2009 NFC title game loss to the New
Orleans Saints.

And now the knee injury to quite possibly the most exciting
player in franchise history.

But don’t feel sorry for Vikings fans — they don’t need your
sympathy.

True Vikings would never think of jumping ship.

I mean, what’s the alternative — cheer for another team?

That’d be the easy way out and wouldn’t be any fun.

Did you know?

That Peterson is 66 yards shy of becoming the Vikings’ all-time
leading rusher. Peterson has 6,752 career yards.

Robert Smith is the all-time leader with 6,818 yards.

Reach Kirk Hardcastle at 421-0540 or
kirk.hardcastle@globegazette.com.

Thanks for visiting our blog =).

That’s all the news for today.

Read More: adrian peterson injury, Adrian Peterson (RB – MIN), Mickey Shuler (TE – MIN), Allen Reisner (TE – MIN), Caleb King (RB – MIN), Minnesota Vikings

Adrian Peterson’s knee injury has landed the All-Pro running back on the injured reserve, effectively ending the season for the Minnesota Vikings running back. In a corresponding move, the Vikings signed Caleb King from the team’s practice squad.

Peterson’s season ended with a torn ACL, a torn ACL and further damage to his meniscus as well, and while his status for the beginning of next season could be in doubt, Peterson put forth a solid effort this season for a losing team. The fifth-year pro ran for 970 yards and 12 touchdowns in 12 games for the Vikings, overcoming a high ankle sprain before the knee injury took him out of action for good.

King has yet to make his NFL debut after being a player on the Vikings practice squad thus far this season, but the rookie running back carried the ball 80 times for 430 yards for the Georgia Bulldogs last season.

The Vikings also waived tight end Allen Reisner on Monday while promoting Mickey Shuler from the practice squad.

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