Game Summary
With the sixth 9-1 start in team history and the first since 1998, the Minnesota Vikings (9-1) will finish a 3-game home stand this Sunday, November 29, against the Chicago Bears (4-6). Kickoff at Mall of America Field is set for 3:15 p.m.
This will be the 97th game between the 2 teams, with the Vikings holding a 51-43-2 edge in the all-time series. Minnesota has won 3 of the last 4 matchups, including a 34-14 victory the last time they met the Bears on November 30, 2008. Head Coach Brad Childress is 3-3 against Chicago.
Next week the Vikings will head back on the road to face the Arizona Cardinals.
Key Links
Bears at Vikings Press Release (PDF)
Latest Vikings Depth Chart
Broadcast Info
TV: FOX Channel 9 in the Twin Cities
Play-By-Play: Joe Buck Analysts: Troy Aikman
Sideline Reporters: Pam Oliver
RADIO: KFAN-AM 1130/KTLK 100.3-FM
Play-by-Play: Paul Allen Analyst: Pete Bercich
Sideline Reporter: Greg Coleman
Pre-Game Show: 1 p.m. CT
KFAN and KTLK serve as the flagship stations for the 74-station, 6-state Minnesota Vikings Radio Network. Click here to view all stations on the Vikings Radio Network.
What To Watch For
- QB Brett Favre will play in his 282nd consecutive game, tying Jim Marshall for the most consecutive games played in NFL history by a position player.
- With a 100+ passer rating, Favre can tie the Vikings record for the most 100+ games in a single season. Favre currently has 7 games in 2009 with a 100+ rating, and the team record is 8 (Culpepper-2004, 2000 and Cunningham-1998).
- With a 100+ passer rating, Favre will have his 4th consecutive game with a 100+ rating, which would tie a team record (Culpepper-9/26/04-10/24/04).
- With 1 rushing yard, RB Adrian Peterson will have 1,000 yards on the season. It will be the 9th consecutive season G Steve Hutchinson has blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher.
- If the Vikings win, it will be the team’s 19th win in the last 23 regular season games and it will mark the team’s first 10-1 start since 1998. The Vikings 19-7 record since the beginning of the 2008 season is the 2nd-best in the NFL behind Indianapolis (22-4).
- If the Vikings do not allow a Bears running back to reach 100 rushing yards, it will be the 34th consecutive game the team hasn’t given up 100 yards rushing to an individual. The Vikings current streak of 33 games is the longest active stretch in the NFL. The last player to rush for 100 yards against the Vikings was Packers RB Ryan Grant on 11/11/07 (102 yards).
Stats of the Week
- The Vikings, who now rank 3rd against the run (#1 in the NFC), held Seattle to 4 rushing yards, the 2nd-lowest total in team history. The Seahawks had -6 rushing yards in the first half.
- The Vikings have now started 6 seasons with a 9-1 record or better, the last of which was 1998.
- Only 18 active players have rushed for 4,000+ career yards, and only 2 teams have a pair of those 4,000-yard rushers on their current roster: the Vikings- Chester Taylor (4,270) and Adrian Peterson (4,100), and the Dolphins- Ricky Williams (8,448) and Ronnie Brown (4,081).
- WR/KR Percy Harvin currently leads the NFC and ranks 3rd in the NFL in combined yardage. He has 1,471 total yards (46 rush, 501 receiving, 924 kickoff return).
Vikings Big Days vs. Bears
- DE Jared Allen notched 9 tackles and 2.5 sacks the last time the two teams met on 11/30/08.
- WR Bernard Berrian hauled in 3 catches 122 yards and a TD against his former team on 11/30/08.
- QB Brett Favre has had some of his best career games vs. the Bears in 16 years of competition against them. On 12/5/93 at Soldier Field Favre set career highs in completions with 36 and yards with 402. A year later Favre set his career high in rushing yards when he ran for 58 in Chicago.
- Favre had two of his best career games vs. the Bears in 1995. On 9/11/95 Favre completed 21-of-37 passes for 312 yards, a 100.3 rating and 3 TDs including a career-long 99-yarder. Two months later he set the 2nd-best passer rating mark of his career with a 147.2 rating after going 25-of-33 (75.8%) for 336 yards and 5 TDs. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week following the second game.
- Most recently, Favre was named NFC Offense of Player of the Week after his performance vs. Chicago on 10/7/02 with 359 yards and 3 TDs, including a 85-yard strike, on 22-of-33 passing and a 133.3 rating.
- QB Tarvaris Jackson set career-highs in passing yardage (249 yards) and threw his longest career pass (71 yards) vs. Chicago on 12/17/07.
- TE Jim Kleinsasser caught a career-high 2 TD passes vs. Chicago on 9/14/03.
- LB Ben Leber posted his first game in which he recorded both an interception and a sack at Chicago on 10/14/07 when he picked off Brian Griese and brought him down for a sack.
- K Ryan Longwell earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors with Green Bay vs. Chicago on 12/7/03 when he scored 14 points and went 4-4 on field goals. Longwell also kicked a career-high game-winning 55-yard FG at Chicago on 10/14/07.
- RB Adrian Peterson set a then-franchise record at Chicago on 10/14/07 when he rushed for 224 yards and tied a team mark with 3 rushing TDs. Peterson also set a team record with 361 combined yards (224 rushing, 9 receiving, 128 kickoff returns) on the day. Peterson has 554 rushing yards and 8 TDs in 4 games against the Bears and 2 of his 12 100-yard games have been against Chicago.
- DT Kevin Williams posted 7 tackles and a season-high 2.0 sacks vs. Chicago on 1/1/06.
- CB Antoine Winfield scored the first touchdown of his career when he picked off Rex Grossman and returned it for a 7-yard TD vs. Chicago (9/24/06).
Vikings vs. Bears Series Notes
- The Vikings lead the all-time series with the Bears 51-43-2.
- The Vikings are 30-19 all-time at home against Chicago and 14-6 in the last 20 matchups.
- The Vikings have won 3 of the last 4, including a 34-14 victory the last time the 2 teams met on November 30, 2008.
- The Vikings are 9-5 against the Bears in the month of October.
- This will be the 97th matchup between the teams, which ties the Vikings series with the Packers for most games against any opponent.
- The Vikings and Bears 2008 matchup at Chicago ended in a 48-41 shootout won by the Bears. It was the most combined points in the series history between the two teams.
- Minnesota’s first regular season game and first win came against Chicago, when the expansion Vikings upset the Bears 37-13 at Metropolitan Stadium on 9/17/61. Minnesota’s first shutout came 31-0 against Chicago on 10/12/69.
- Head Coach Brad Childress is 3-3 all time against the Bears since taking over in 2006.
A Win Would...
- Give the Vikings a 6-0 home record in 2009.
- Give the Vikings their 12th win in the last 14 games at Mall of America Field.
- Give the Vikings a 5-0 record against the NFC North in 2009 and an 8-0 record against the NFC this season.
- Improve the Vikings all-time record against the Bears to 52-43-2.
- Give the Vikings their 19th victory in the last 23 regular season games, dating back to 2008. The Vikings are 18-4 in the last 22 games.
- Give the Vikings their first 10-1 start since 1998.
- Improve Head Coach Brad Childress’ all-time record against the Bears to 4-3.
Keep An Eye On...
- With a 100+ passer rating, QB Brett Favre would collect his 102nd game with a 100+ QB rating (15 attempts minimum). Favre’s teams are 93-8 in his previous 101 games with a 100+ rating.
- With a 100+ passer rating, Favre would move into a tie for the most games with a 100+ passer rating in a single season in Vikings history. The record is owned by Daunte Culpepper (2004 and 2000) and Randall Cunningham (1998), who both had 8 games with a 100+ yard passer rating. Thus far in 2009, Favre has 7.
- With a 100+ passer rating, Favre would notch his 4th consecutive game with that feat and move into a tie for the longest streak of consecutive games with a 100+ passer rating in Vikings history. Favre has finished his last 3 games with a 100+ rating, and the team record is 4.
- With 2 passing TDs, Favre would move into a tie for the most passing TDs in the first season with the Vikings. Favre’s 21 TDs thus far rank as the 2nd most in team history behind Jeff George’s 23 (1999).
- With 1 TD, Favre will reach 500 career regular season combined touchdowns (rushing and passing).
- If RB Adrian Peterson rushes for 1 yard, G Steve Hutchinson will have blocked for his 9th consecutive 1,000-yard rusher.
- With a 100-yard rusher, G Steve Hutchinson would block for his 58th 100-yard rusher and his 27th as a Viking.
- If RB Adrian Peterson rushes for 1 yard, it will mark the 1st season for T Phil Loadholt and C John Sullvan to block for a 1,000-yard rusher.
- T Bryant McKinnie will play his 111th career game, moving him into a 5th place tie for most Vikings games played by a tackle with Todd Steussie.
- With 1 rushing yard, RB Adrian Peterson can reach the 1,000-yard mark for the 3rd consecutive season. Peterson currently has 999 yards and 11 TDs this year.
- With 4 catches, WR Sidney Rice can reach 100 career receptions.
- With 125 receiving yards, Rice can reach 1,000 yards for the first time in his career.
- With a receiving TD, TE Visanthe Shiancoe can tie the team record for the most receiving TDs by a tight end in a single season. Shiancoe currently has 7 on the year and Joe Sensor’s (‘81) record is 8.
- With a receiving TD, Shiancoe will also move into a 3rd-place tie for the most receiving TDs by a Vikings tight end. Shiancoe has 15 since he joined the Vikings in 2007, and Joe Senser is ranked 3rd with 16.
