Duel in the dome: Bears and Vikes battle for first place

The tightest divisional race in the NFL is in the NFC North, where only one game separates first and third place. This week’s match-up between the Chicago Bears (6-5) and the Minnesota Vikings (6-5) will determine who will have sole-possession of first place in the division. Both of these teams met in a high-scoring affair at Soldier Field in Week 7, with the Bears prevailing 48-41.

With the Bears and Vikings not having the best pass defense, both opposing quarterbacks, Kyle Orton and Gus Frerotte, may put up big passing numbers. In the last meeting, Frerotte threw for 298 yards and two touchdowns, but his four interceptions were costly. As for Orton, he could have had a career performance had it not been for a couple of dropped touchdown passes; but he did manage to finish the game with 283 passing yards and two touchdowns. Chicago’s pass defense will be hoping to do what they did against Minnesota in Week 7 and against the St. Louis Rams last week—pick off four passes. But this will have to be done without Nathan Vasher, who is out indefinitely with a fractured right hand and doing more damage to his already injured right thumb. In addition, the Bears will try to get more pressure on the quarterback from the front seven. As for the Bears’ pass protection, they will have to contain Jared Allen, who sacked Orton twice in Week 7—along with Kevin Williams and Pat Williams.

The main focus of this game will be the run defense versus the run offense for both teams. Chicago ranks fifth against the run (80.7 ypg) and also has the fifth leading rusher in the league in rookie Matt Forte with 916 yards. Coincidently, Minnesota has the second-ranked run defense (70.4 ypg) and has Adrian Peterson, the second-ranked rusher in the league with 1,180 yards. History has shown us that Chicago’s high defensive ranking has not made a difference when trying to stop Peterson. In three career games versus the Bears, Peterson has rushed for 423 yards and seven touchdowns. Forte, who is coming off of a career game of 139 yards and two touchdowns, can only hope that the Vikings are just as generous as the Bears were to Peterson in the past.

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Devin Hester will definitely try to take advantage of Minnesota’s poor special teams, which is probably the worst in the league. The Vikings have given up five touchdowns on special teams this year; two of which came from the Bears in the last meeting from a blocked punt and a muffed punt.

One of the things that the Chicago Bears have going for them this season is that they are 2-0 when playing on Sunday night. The Bears will try to continue this trend this Sunday night when facing the Vikings. Chicago not only has the opportunity to take control of the NFC North, but they also have the chance to show the NFL and the entire country that the Bears of two seasons ago are back and ready for a playoff run.

By Clyde A. Speller
ProFootball-fans.com Chicago Bears Correspondent