The Vikings are coming off a bye and Chicago gets pounded by San Francisco gave me a feeling coming into the game that the team would have a chance. Yes, the Vikings have only won twice in Chicago but I really felt the team would come in and have a good showing.
My sister and brother in law were in town from Springfield, Illinois to watch the game with me. They are big Vikings fans and had left their Bears friends in Illinois behind. It was a day I was really looking forward to watching a victory with some of my family. The text messages were flying from Minnesota to Illinois.
The game started exactly how the Vikings, who struggle in Chicago, did not need. A Bear’s sack of Ponder on the first play of the game really set the tone for a Bears defense we did not need to see getting fired up. The Bears coming in on a 2 game losing streak, the defense struggling and the Vikings give up a sack on the first play, ouch!!
I really thought besides a first play sack was the Bears first possession ending in a Matt Forte fumble. It was his first fumble of the year. My thought, finally a break we needed in Chicago to help get the monkey off the Vikings back. The end result 3 plays less than 10 yards total and Blair Walsh comes in and puts 3 points on the board. Points are nice but this team needs 7 in the worst way. It was not too long ago in Washington the Vikings had to settle for 3 field goals.
Another situation the team has not faced comes with Blair Walsh. He has only missed one field goal all year and then on Sunday he gets one blocked.
I love this team and pull so hard for them to win but the first half just did not leave a good feeling. There was much talk after the game about Ponder’s ineffectiveness which I cannot deny. It is truly hard to not a deep ball threat developing. Today was in my mind maybe the worst job by receivers in hanging onto the ball. I could not believe the drops. Jerome Simpson had such a good camp but the season is just not materializing as of yet. I saw what he is capable of back in July and August so it can happen. The drops are one thing but the timing of the drops was just killing to watch.
I love the Ponder roll out and Rudolph rolling out making for some easy throw and catches. It makes you wonder why cannot not happen more often. Then what the Vikings do not need, Rudolph leaves the game with concussion like symptoms.
I was excited to see John Carlson get a chance but he too had a might disappointing drop on a nice pass.
My brother in law played a little offensive coordinator while watching the game and called out the Vikings play calls. The sad part is he was right. The play calling involves Adrian Peterson in hand off and go up the middle or throw a short ball to Adrian and let him see what he can do with it.
He was right much of the time but the niceness of the play calls had Adrian take it to the Bears. In ending up with over 100 yards for the 5th straight games is so impressive. Yes, he had 2 fumbles today, but you just cannot stop thanking Peterson for his effort and gamesmanship. We are witnessing each game a player who had defied all odds and now has a possibility of 2000 yards yet this season.
I was so excited after watching the Bears-49ers game and saw the success of the 49ers getting sacks. Yes, it was not Cutler at quarterback on Monday but it was the Bears offensive line who struggled mightily and I felt Jared and the boys would feast. Cutler to his credit kept the plays alive and found receivers open.
One of the most frustrating issues in watching the Vikings secondary defend against Bear’s receiver Brandon Marshall. It was simply shocking to see 3 to 4 Vikings players around him and yet he came out with the catch on more than one occasion.
The official’s crews do not typically win or lose a game for a team but on the coverage of Antoine Winfield on Brandon Marshall in the end zone. I really thought Winfield made a good play and in fact I also felt Marshall pushed off Winfield. The game was lost with or without this call. A team that struggles on the road I just hope as a fan we could get one break.
A disappointing loss was the end result and it also hurt the tie breaker situation. The team cannot afford to get down as next Sunday the Vikings go to Lambeau.
The Vikings have a ton to play for especially the way the way this wacky NFL season is going. There were some big losses this weekend that could help the Vikings cause. Tampa Bay, Seattle, Dallas and New Orleans losing really helps the Vikings but on the other hand a Vikings win and they could have put some separation from the rest of the NFC.
A loss in never fun to watch but for Vikings fans to know next Sunday the big rivalry game with the Packers. Fans, we cannot get down but rather crank things up and let’s watch our purple beat those cheeseheads.
Thanks for reading
Purplestick
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