Peterson and Harvin of the Minnesota Vikings

Credit: Arvee5.0 / CC:Flickr

Peterson and Harvin of the Minnesota Vikings

Both of these teams play in the NFC North division and both of them are struggling. Chicago have won 2 and lost 3 games this season and the Vikings are doing even worse having only won one of five. However that does not mean the match has nothing to recommend it.

Bear hug

One player worth keeping an eye on is Chicago number 23 Devin Hester. As well as playing as a wide receiver he is best known as a kick returner. When the opposing team kicks off or punts the ball it is his job to catch it and carry it as far up the field as possible. Normally a player doing this will gain 10 or 20 yards and be tackled but Hester since he started playing professionally has had a habit of running back kicks for touchdowns. So any time the Vikings kick or punt, keep an eye on number 23.

When Chicago’s offence is on the field the player to watch is the quarterback Jay Cutler (No.6). The whole team is struggling just now but players like Cutler and ex-Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber (No.24) on their day can take any team apart.

The Chicago defence is led by Line Backer Brian Urlacher (No.54). He is a genuine star having been named NFL defensive player of the year and been selected for 7 Pro-Bowls. It is also worth keeping an eye on corner back Charles Tillman (No.33). He has played his whole career for the Bears and as well as being involved in much of the tackling the useful habit of intercepting passes.

Viking quest

The Vikings offence is led by quarterback Donovan McNabb (No.5). After 11 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles he spent last year with the Washington Redskins then moved to Minnesota this season. His move was not well timed as the Vikings are no longer the team they were when they just missed out on going to the Superbowl a couple of years ago.

Statistics don’t tell you everything but one stat that tells you how badly they are doing this season is that neither of their two first choice wide receivers has scored a touchdown in 5 games and Percy Harvin (No.12) and Bernard Berrian (No.87) are averaging 4 catches per game between them. Fortunately for the receivers the running game is fairing a lot better with Adrian Peterson (No.28) averaging 4.5 yards per carry and 100 yards per game.

The Vikings defence is a bit of a disaster. They do quite well against the run but when teams pass against them they crumble. They are giving up an average of 350 yards a game and that guarantees they will lose a lot. Normally I would pick out a couple of defensive players to watch but I don’t know where to start with this lot.

Traditionally Vikings-Bears matches are old fashioned blood and guts running football but with these two teams at this time anything could happen. One thing is certain you do not want to be late for this game because if the Vikings kick off Devin Hester could have run it back for a touchdown before the game is 15 seconds old.

108 responses

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 00:24

    Game Centre data

    http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2011101611/2011/REG6/vikings@bears#menu=drivechart&tab=track

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 00:26

    blimey do i need a distraction. what time does it start?

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 00:27

    blimey do i need a distraction. what time does it start?

    Now

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 00:28

    Now

    oh. oops.

    *grabs remote*

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 00:33

    who am i supporting today?

  • Kai17/10/2011 at 00:34

    who am i supporting today?

    the folks who put the graphics on the field. :)

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 00:34

    Bears use a time out after 30 seconds. Unbelievable

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 00:34

    who am i supporting today?

    I think the Bears for me but I like both historically even if they are both rubbish now

  • Kai17/10/2011 at 00:36

    Wow, Chicago TD already.

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 00:37

    Devin Hester catches a TD pass. He didn't read my post but I did say dont be late because he could do something spectacular early. Not what I had in mind though

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 00:39

    Devin Hester catches a TD pass. He didn't read my post but I did say dont be late because he could do something spectacular early. Not what I had in mind though

    :) :)

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 00:40

    Nearly an interception

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 00:44

    How did they gain yards on that?

  • Kai17/10/2011 at 00:44

    That was a pretty risky pass.

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 00:47

    That was a pretty risky pass.

    Did you see the first pass of the Vikings drive after the TD? Chicago player got two hands on it and had no-one between him and another TD

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 00:48

    Cutler throwing blocks. Who does he think he is? Jim McMahon?

  • Kai17/10/2011 at 00:52

    Did you see the first pass of the Vikings drive after the TD? Chicago player got two hands on it and had no-one between him and another TD

    No, I'm not as focused as usual tonight, I'll be popping in and out.

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 00:53

    close!

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 00:53

    Urlacher sacks McNabb for a safety

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 00:54

    close!

    Bears get a safety - 2 points for tackling a player in possession of the ball in his own end zone

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 00:54

    Bears get a safety - 2 points for tackling a player in possession of the ball in his own end zone

    oh. rats!

    i think i'm supporting vikings, because it's a nice shade of purple.

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 00:55

    i think i'm supporting vikings, because it's a nice shade of purple.

    As good a reason as any.

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 01:00

    how come some people have clear visors and others none at all?

  • Kai17/10/2011 at 01:01

    how come some people have clear visors and others none at all?

    Players choice. It's to protect against getting poked in the eye. I supposed it could help a bit with vision, too, but I'm not sure.

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:01

    how come some people have clear visors and others none at all?

    Personal preference. In some positions they are more likely to have fingers stray towards their face than others too

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 01:01

    Players choice. It's to protect against getting poked in the eye. I supposed it could help a bit with vision, too, but I'm not sure.

    ah-ha.

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:01

    Another TD. Vikings wide open

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:04

    None of the Vikings seem to be wearing any pink. I think that is their problem. Although purple and pink is a bit of a combination

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 01:05

    None of the Vikings seem to be wearing any pink. I think that is their problem. Although purple and pink is a bit of a combination

    do they not all have to?

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:07

    do they not all have to?

    They all seem to but I noticed none of the Vikings seems to have any pink anywhere

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:15

    Vikings score a field goal

    Vikimgs 3

    Bears 16

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 01:18

    keep forgetting to follow twitter:

    vikings: https://twitter.com/#!/VikingsFootball

    bears: https://twitter.com/#!/ChicagoBearscom

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 01:18

    Vikings score a field goal

    w00t!

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:19

    keep forgetting to follow twitter:

    I get too easily distracted with twitter

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 01:21

    I get too easily distracted with twitter

    i haven't found a rhythm for watching yet. if i look away i miss something, if i watch continuously there's a lot of breaks.

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:23

    i haven't found a rhythm for watching yet. if i look away i miss something, if i watch continuously there's a lot of breaks.

    I find with twitter I get drawn in and lose lots of time.

    There is a definite technique to catching the important parts of the game

  • Kai17/10/2011 at 01:26

    i haven't found a rhythm for watching yet. if i look away i miss something, if i watch continuously there's a lot of breaks.

    You can let the crowd noise tell you when to look, maybe.

  • Kai17/10/2011 at 01:27

    Long day, I'm going to sign off. Night, guys.

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:27

    McNabb's passing is horrible

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:27

    Long day, I'm going to sign off. Night, guys.

    Off already? Good night

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 01:31

    blimey.

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 01:32

    jeez.

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:32

    Another Bear touchdown

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:33

    jeez.

    Are you going off purple yet?

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 01:33

    Another Bear touchdown

    great catch.

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 01:33

    Are you going off purple yet?

    :)

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:34

    You are just a couple of years too late to be a Vikings fan. Two seasons ago they just missed out on making the superbowl.

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 01:35

    You are just a couple of years too late to be a Vikings fan. Two seasons ago they just missed out on making the superbowl.

    i'm only picking them for this week :)

    #fickle

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:36

    i'm only picking them for this week :)

    :)

  • paul17/10/2011 at 01:40

    Missing the NFL this week because I actually have to work on a Monday. Boooo.

    Just read about Dan Wheldon too. How very sad.

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:42

    Missing the NFL this week because I actually have to work on a Monday. Boooo.

    Not a great game. Especially for Vikings fans.

    Just read about Dan Wheldon too. How very sad.

    Absolutely terrible. Very lucky not more drivers were seriously injured. The aftermath looked like a war zone

  • paul17/10/2011 at 01:44

    Absolutely terrible. Very lucky not more drivers were seriously injured. The aftermath looked like a war zone

    I will have to catch up later tonight. But this is not the thread for it.

    Enjoy what is left of the game.

    Go Packers!

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 01:44

    Go Packers!

    ...

    :)

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:45

    Go Packers!

    They could probably beat both these teams at the same time

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 01:46

    They could probably beat both these teams at the same time

    ehehehe

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 01:46

    did he just miss??

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:47

    How dumb was that?

    Vikings decided to gamble on 4th down rather than taking the field goal. Then someone moves before the snap and gets a 5 yard penalty so they have to take the field goal because it is too far to gamble on a pass.

    Then they missed the field goal

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:47

    did he just miss??

    Yes and worse

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 01:47

    Yes and worse

    it's a massive goal and there's no keeper. how is that possible?

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:48

    it's a massive goal and there's no keeper. how is that possible?

    Who knows? It was about a 30 yard kick which is really easy for these guys

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:49

    Who knows? It was about a 30 yard kick which is really easy for these guys

    It was 38 yards. Still easy

  • paul17/10/2011 at 01:51

    It was 38 yards. Still easy

    Simple. The rugby guys are kicking the from over 50, and not always directly in front

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:51

    Field goal Bears

    Vikings 3

    Bears 26

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:53

    Simple. The rugby guys are kicking the from over 50, and not always directly in front

    I think a rugby ball is a lot easier to kick but the NFL kickers all kick 50 yards if not longer and expect to make them

  • paul17/10/2011 at 01:54

    I think a rugby ball is a lot easier to kick but the NFL kickers all kick 50 yards if not longer and expect to make them

    true about the ball. still.......

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 01:56

    Have posted a tweet updating on those hospitalised from the Indycar race on the live race thread

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 02:01

    Have posted a tweet updating on those hospitalised from the Indycar race on the live race thread

    Looks like Kai beat me too it. Should have checked before I posted

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 02:01

    Looks like Kai beat me too it. Should have checked before I posted

    bloomin women ;)

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 02:02

    bloomin women ;)

    :)

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 02:12

    Vikings get a break. Sack the QB and he fumbles the ball.

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 02:16

    Vikings get a break. Sack the QB and he fumbles the ball.

    yay for 2nd half.

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 02:16

    TD Vikings

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 02:17

    phew.

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 02:17

    yay for 2nd half.

    Things looking much better this half

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 02:19

    Things looking much better this half

    i may struggle to keep awake. they need to speed this sport up :)

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 02:20

    oh crap.

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 02:20

    he just ran the whole length of the pitch.

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 02:20

    Devin Hester did what I predicted. 90 yard run bacck

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 02:21

    he just ran the whole length of the pitch.

    He does that all the time. Even as a rookie he did that. It is nearly impossible but no-one ever told him

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 02:22

    He does that all the time. Even as a rookie he did that. It is nearly impossible but no-one ever told him

    it was the whole length of the pitch. holy cow.

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 02:22

    it was the whole length of the pitch. holy cow.

    It was only 90 yards. I think the record is 107

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 02:23

    It was only 90 yards. I think the record is 107

    crazy talk.

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 02:24

    crazy talk.

    I don't know why the other teams don't just kick the ball away from him

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 02:26

    crazy talk.

    From his wikipedia page about his first season

    In thirteen weeks as a professional football player, Hester recorded six return touchdowns, including a punt return in his NFL debut, and a then-record tying 108-yard touchdown from a missed field goal against the New York Giants.[12]

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 02:32

    Random Brigadier General wandering on to the field

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 02:33

    Random Brigadier General wandering on to the field

    he seemed happy about it.

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 02:35

    he seemed happy about it.

    American sports totally baffle me at times

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 02:35

    Field goal Bears

  • Mr C17/10/2011 at 02:43

    think i'm done chap. cheers for the thread, i must sleep.

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 02:45

    think i'm done chap. cheers for the thread, i must sleep.

    I am barely awake. The game has fizzled out after the last TD

  • Steven Roy17/10/2011 at 03:25

    Game finished Vikings 10 Bears 39

    Vikings brought on their rookie QB for his first game at the start of the 4th quarter and he looks like a player

  • Dan Brunell18/10/2011 at 03:21

    Dang you follow MNF now? Jeeze, I really need to get my Sidepod-on again. :)

  • Journeyer18/10/2011 at 05:45

    Dang you follow MNF now? Jeeze, I really need to get my Sidepod-on again.

    Are you ready for some foo... Oh yeah, he got kicked off the show. :D

  • RubberGoat18/10/2011 at 08:07

    Are you ready for some foo... Oh yeah, he got kicked off the show. :D

    whozat?

  • Steven Roy18/10/2011 at 08:14

    Dang you follow MNF now? Jeeze, I really need to get my Sidepod-on again. :)

    Sunday night not MNF. We get the late game live in the UK on terrestrial TV so we live comment that.

  • Mr C19/10/2011 at 13:10

    next target... crofty: https://twitter.com/#!/CroftyF1/statuses/126646237956030464

  • RubberGoat19/10/2011 at 13:43

    next target... crofty: https://twitter.c…26646237956030464

    I enjoyed his next tweet more ;)

  • Steven Roy19/10/2011 at 20:33

    It looks like the Wembley game is Sky only. Normally it is shown on terrestrial TV. I really don't see the point in having a game in the UK and showing it to the normal audience. I thought the point was to grow the sport.

  • Steven Roy24/10/2011 at 00:06

    There will be no post for tonight's game and it is all my fault. I wrote it on Friday then got distracted so I never told Christine or Mr C it was there so it won't be published. Instead anyone is welcome to join Kai and I on goole plus at the link below

    https://plus.google.com/117957733344029021708/posts/23QKEeR4WU9

  • Mr C24/10/2011 at 00:08

    just spotted that, am happy to sort, i'm learning and drinking beer right now. but google+ might be a good experiment too.

  • Steven Roy24/10/2011 at 00:11

    No point giving yourself work. I was the one who said posts should be in early so lets try G plus tonight

  • Mr C24/10/2011 at 00:12

    nice one, i'll see if can create an account of some kind. might take a few minutes.

  • Mr C24/10/2011 at 00:29

    https://plus.goog…posts/23QKEeR4WU9

    not sure that circle is public, can't seem to see it :(

  • Steven Roy24/10/2011 at 00:31

    It's not a circle it is just a post. I just clicked post rather than to a particular circle and it says extended circles. If you join the sidepodcast circle you should definitely see it

  • Steven Roy24/10/2011 at 00:32

    I just added you to a couple of circles so you should see it now

  • Mr C24/10/2011 at 00:32

    It's not a circle it is just a post. I just clicked post rather than to a particular circle and it says extended circles. If you join the sidepodcast circle you should definitely see it

    have circled you, can you circle me back. have created a new account that's not a sidepodcast friend yet.

  • Mr C24/10/2011 at 00:34

    i'm in. if anyone else fancies joining the conversation they may have to circle you too :)

  • Steven Roy24/10/2011 at 00:35

    I will keep an eye on the doohickey just in case