Game Summary
Winners of the NFC North for the 2nd consecutive season, the Minnesota Vikings (11-3) will stay on the road and in the national spotlight this week, taking on the Chicago Bears (5-9) on Monday Night Football.
This will be the 98th meeting between the 2 teams, with the Vikings holding a 52-43-2 lead in the overall series. Minnesota won the first matchup earlier this season 36-10 at Mall of America Field.
The Vikings will finish the 2009 regular season next Sunday against the New York Giants, while the Bears will head to Detroit to face the Lions.
Key Links
Vikings at Bears Press Release (PDF)
Latest Vikings Depth Chart
Broadcast Info
TV: KSTP Channel 5 in the Twin Cities
Play-By-Play: Mike Tirico Analysts: Ron Jaworski, Jon Gruden
Sideline Reporters: Michelle Tafoya
RADIO: KFAN-AM 1130/KTLK 100.3-FM
Play-by-Play: Paul Allen Analyst: Pete Bercich
Sideline Reporter: Greg Coleman
Pre-Game Show: 5:30 p.m. CST
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
- With a 100+ passer rating, Favre can move into sole possession of the Vikings record for the most 100+ games in a single season. Favre currently has 8 games in 2009 with a 100+ rating, which is tied with Daunte Culpepper (2004 and 2000) and Randall Cunningham (1998) for the most in a single season.
- WR Percy Harvin needs just 15 rushing yards to break the team record for the most rushing yards by a rookie WR (Bob Grim - 127 in 1971). Harvin currently has 113 rushing yards.
- Harvin is 242 yards short of passing RB Adrian Peterson’s record for most combined yards in a rookie season (2,021). Harvin has 1,780 on the season thus far.
- With a start, G Steve Hutchinson will move into sole possession of 4th-place for most consecutive starts in team history by a guard. Hutchinson has started 62 straight games since joining the Vikings.
- Sunday’s game will feature 2 of the top 3 kick returners in the NFL. Bears KR Johnny Knox ranks 2nd in the NFL with a 28.8 average, while Vikings KR Percy Harvin ranks 3rd with a 28.3 average.
- The Vikings can clinch the #2 seed in the NFC playoffs with a win and an Eagles loss or tie.
- LB Ben Leber will make his 100th career start.
Stats of the Week
- The Vikings had 11 players lead their positions in the NFC in fan Pro Bowl voting: DE Jared Allen, LB Heath Farwell (Special Teams), KR Percy Harvin, G Steve Hutchinson, P Chris Kluwe, K Ryan Longwell, T Bryant McKinnie, RB Adrian Peterson, C John Sullivan, FB Naufahu Tahi, and DT Pat Williams. Fan voting counts toward 1/3 of the final roster.
- The Vikings clinched the NFC North division title for the 2nd consecutive year, the first time since 1977-78 the team has had back-to-back division championships.
- DE Jared Allen became only the 4th Viking in team history to have 2 consecutive seasons with at least 13 sacks.
Vikings Big Days vs. Bears
- DE Jared Allen had 2.0 sacks and an INT of Bears QB Jay Cutler when the teams met earlier this season (11/29).
- Allen also notched 9 tackles and 2.5 sacks when the two teams met on 11/30/08.
- WR Bernard Berrian hauled in 3 catches for 122 yards, including a 99-yard TD against his former team on 11/30/08.
- QB Brett Favre has had some of his best career games vs. the Bears. 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.
- Favre was also named NFC Offensive Player of the Month this past November due in large part to a stellar performance in his first meeting vs. the Bears as a Viking (11/29). Favre completed 32 passes for 392 yards and 3 TDs with a 112.5 passer rating.
- Rookie WR Percy Harvin had his first career 100-yard receiving game on 11/29 in his first career game against the Bears earlier this season as part of a month of November where he was awarded NFC Rookie of the Month honors. Harvin had 101 yards on 6 catches.
- 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.
- 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 52-43-2. This will be the 98th matchup, tied for the most of any opponent.
- The Bears hold a 24-21-2 edge when playing in Chicago.
- This will be the 11th Vikings-Bears game on MNF and the 3rd straight year the teams have met on prime time (MNF-‘07 and ‘09, SNF-‘08).
- Minnesota is 4-3 vs. the Bears since Brad Childress took over the team in 2006. The Bears swept the ’06 season. The Vikings bounced back and swept the ’07 series. The two teams split in 2008; each winning their home game, and the Vikings won the first matchup in 2009.
- The Vikings won the last matchup between the two teams, a 36-10 victory at Mall of America field on 11/29.
- If the Vikings win it will be the 3rd time they have swept the Bears since 2000. The last time the Vikings swept the Bears in a season series was in 2007. In their history the Vikings have swept Chicago 13 times, including in 3 straight seasons from 1973-1975.
- 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.
A Win Would...
- Give the Vikings their most wins (12) in a regular season since their 15 victories in 1998.
- Give the Vikings a 5-3 record on the road in 2009.
- Improve the Vikings record against the NFC to 9-2 in 2009.
- Give the Vikings a 6-0 record against the NFC North in 2009.
- Give the Vikings their 21st victory in the last 27 regular season games, dating back to 2008. The Vikings are 20-6 in the last 26 games.
- Improve Head Coach Brad Childress’ record against the Bears to 5-3.
Keep An Eye On...
- With 1.0 sack, DE Jared Allen can tie his total from last season (14.5), the 7th-best single season sack total in Vikings history.
- With 1.5 sacks, Allen can climb into the Vikings top 5 for most sacks in a single season. Allen has 13.5 on the year and Carl Eller’s 15.0 in 1969 and 1976 rank 5th).
- With a 100+ passer rating, QB Brett Favre would move into sole possession of first place for the most games with a 100+ passer rating in a single season in Vikings history. Favre shares the record with Daunte Culpepper (2004 and 2000) and Randall Cunningham (1998), with 8 games thus far in 2009.
- If he doesn’t throw an INT, Favre will move into sole possession of the team record for the most games in a single season without an INT. Currently Favre has 8 games without a pick, which is tied with Daunte Culpepper (2004) and Warren Moon (1995) for the most.
- WR Percy Harvin needs 201 combined yards to surpass RB Adrian Peterson’s record-setting 2,021 combined yards in 2007. Harvin is currently in 2nd place in Vikings history for combined yards (rushing, receiving, kick returns, punt returns) as a rookie with 1,821.
- With 3 receptions, Harvin can move into 2nd place in team history for the most receptions as a rookie. Harvin, who currently has 49 receptions, trails Paul Flatley and Sammy White, who both rank 2nd in Vikings annals with 51 receptions during their rookie seasons.
- With the start, G Steve Hutchinson will move into sole possession of 4th place in Vikings history for most consecutive starts by a guard. Hutchinson is currently tied for 4th with 62 straight starts since joining the team in 2006.
- With 70 rushing yards, RB Adrian Peterson will move into 6th place in NFL history for the most rushing yards after 3 seasons. Peterson currently has 4,336 and can surpass Terrell Davis’ 4,405.
- LB Ben Leber will make his 100th career start.
- With 32 rushing yards, Peterson can break into the top 5 in team history for the most rushing yards in a single season. Peterson, who owns 2 of the 3 best rushing totals in Vikings annals, has 1,235 yards on the year, which trails Robert Smith’s 1,266 for 5th place.
- With 79 rushing yards, Peterson can climb into the top 5 running backs in NFL history for the most rushing yards after 3 seasons. Currently Clinton Portis’ 4,414 ranks 5th.
- With 100+ rushing yards, Peterson can pick up his 20th career game of 100 or more yards. That would tie Terrell Davis (1995-97) for the 5th-most 100-yard games in the first 3 NFL seasons.
- With a receiving TD, TE Visanthe Shiancoe can move into sole possession of 2nd place in Vikings history for the most receiving TDs by a TE. Shiancoe has 17 as a Viking, which is tied with Stu Voigt.
- With 41 receiving yards, Shiancoe will move into 5th place in Vikings history for the most career receiving yards by a TE. His 1,441 trails Jim Kleinsasser’s 1,481.
- With 40 rushing yards, RB Chester Taylor can break into the top 10 running backs in Vikings history. Taylor currently has 2,750 rushing yards as a Viking, which trails Terry Allen’s 2,795 for 10th place.
