Who: Minnesota Vikings (1-4) at Chicago Bears (2-3). When: 7:20 p.m. Sunday. Where: Soldier Field (capacity: 61,500), Chicago. TV: NBC. Line: Bears by way of 3. Coaches: Vikings Leslie Frazier (1st year, 4-7); Bears Lovie Smith (8th year, 68-55). Series: Vikings steer 52-46-2. Bears will be 26-21-2 within Chicago. Last meeting: 's surprise commence most likely his or her career, too was concluded with a major hit by Corey Wootton, and also Jay Cutler used to get three touchdowns since the Bears explained 40-14 on Dec. 20 at TCF Bank Stadium. At stake: Either the Bears win back for you to .500 plus stay in inside solid connected with the actual playoff race, or even that Vikings yank perhaps to get finally area in the NFC North Division which includes a second consecutive win.
Injury report
Vikings: CB Antoine Winfield (neck) skipped a second consecutive 1 week connected with practice plus appeared to be detailed since doubtful. WR Percy Harvin (ribs) appeared to be listed when doubtful nonetheless is supposed to enjoy together with a padded undershirt since protection. MLB Kenny Onatolu (hamstring) plus RE Jared Allen (eye) tend to be probable.
Bears: RT Gabe Carimi (knee) along with DT Matt Toeaina (knee) usually are out. DE Julius Peppers (knee) can be not so great and, like Carimi along with Toeaina, skipped perform the whole week. WR Earl Bennett (chest) is questionable but participated entirely throughout practice upon Friday. CB Charles Tillman (hip) and Wootton (hand) are usually probable.
Five issues to help watch
Ch-ch-ch-changes: Bears bothersome coordinator Mike Martz has
Get within the zone: Vikings QB
The X-factor: Time and also again, Devin Hester provides proved the guy can alter your adventure which includes resistant to the Vikings, with presented up several punt-return touchdowns within nine group meetings against the sixth-year veteran coming from Miami. Last season alone, Hester had stop profits of 68 along with 79 back yards and also punt earnings regarding 42 and 64, that second option to get a touchdown, around two Bears victories. And Hester struck once again inside an Oct. 2 conquer Carolina, creating one touchdown that has a 73-yard kickoff return in addition to scoring a different on the 69-yard punt return. The Vikings status sixth inside the NFL in kickoff protection (21.4 ordinary upon 20 opponent returns) and also 27th around punt insurance policy coverage (12.4 average on 14 returns). They'll definitely make an effort to maintain the ball from Hester completely nevertheless whenever he obtains their hands on it, this Vikings need to discover a way to keep him or her from becoming loose.
Run, run, run: Last week, Lions HB Jahvid Best gained 163 yards with twelve hurrying attempts (13.6 average), which include an 88-yard touchdown. The full week prior to that, Panthers HBs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart blended for 134 meters on eighteen bears (7.4 average). These Bears are generally pregnable resistant to the run, along with these days they're likely in the years ahead without a couple of of the starting up shielding linemen, at least in this game. What this Vikings accomplish finest is definitely lb . the shot together with Peterson, that is averaging 4.5 back yards per hold along with provides picked up this shot more than any person (110 carries). The offensive line will be displaying signs of development , too. Even in case things obtain down to a rocky start, don't expect OC Bill Musgrave for getting discouraged. The Vikings are aware that smashing the baseball with Peterson will be their shot.
On this street again: The Vikings include earned just one health of their previous 10 online games with Chicago, and they are 2-10 away from your Metrodome considering that get started involving final season. The latter will be a smaller amount a direction compared to item of an striving crew this can be 7-14 total around in which stretch. But this continues that will become viewed if that group can solve Soldier Field the particular place together with the smallest seating capacity within the NFL, in addition to it has the nearly all well known trying to play exterior and a reputation for trapping swirling winds. The Bears are 8-5 generally there with the recent two seasons, having two of them cutbacks coming alongside the Green Bay Packers. Sunday's forecast demands temp inside the 50s, gusts of wind from the mid-teens including a 30% possibility that rain.
Crystal ball
It's one coin jump following another for any Vikings, whom were being favored by simply a few or perhaps 3 in their beyond three games in addition to dropped three connected with them. This time, the guess the following is this oddsmakers have got it right.
Prediction: Bears 23, Vikings 20.
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