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News | Minnesota Vikings – vikings.com

Game Preview: Vikings vs. Bears

The Minnesota Vikings (8-5) host the Chicago Bears (5-8) at TCF Bank Stadium in Week 15 scheduled to kick off at noon. The Vikings hold a 4-2 record at home, while the Bears have a 4-2 mark on the road in 2015.

In Week 14, the Vikings dropped their 2nd straight game for the 1st time in 2015 losing at Arizona, 20-23. The Bears also lost their 2nd consecutive game being defeated by the Washington Redskins, 21-24, at home in Week 14. The Vikings won the 1st matchup between the 2 clubs in Week 8 after K Blair Walsh connected on a 36-yard walk-off FG.

It was the 1st Vikings win at Chicago since 2007. RB Adrian Peterson is 1st in the NFL with 1,251 rushing yards in 2015 and scored his 100th career TD against the Cardinals in Week 14. Peterson, who currently has 11,441 career rushing yards, 17th on the all-time rushing list, has scored 6 TDs in the last 6 games. As a team, the Vikings rank 5th in rushing yards per game with a 131.8 mark. QB Teddy Bridgewater threw for a career-high 335 yards at Arizona, his 5th career 300 passing yard effort, and finished with a 108.0 passer rating against the 4th-ranked Cardinals defense.

The Vikings defense has allowed the 9th-fewest points per game (19.6) in the NFL and owns the 8th-ranked passing defense in the NFL, allowing only 231.9 passing yards per game.

BROADCAST COVERAGE

NATIONAL TELEVISION: FOX (Channel 9 in the Twin Cities)

Play-by-Play: Kevin Burkhardt Analyst: John Lynch

Sideline: Pam Oliver

LOCAL RADIO: KFAN-FM 100.3/KTLK-AM 1130

Play-by-Play: Paul Allen Analyst: Pete Bercich

Sideline Reporter: Greg Coleman

Pre-Game Show: Mike Mussman – 10:00 a.m. CT

KFAN and KTLK serve as the flagship stations for the 72-station, 5-state Vikings Radio Network.

NORSEMAN NOTABLES

• RB Adrian Peterson leads the NFL with 6 games of 100 rushing yards. Peterson recorded his 26th game with multiple TDs at Atlanta (11/29), passing Cris Carter for the most in team history.

• The Vikings started 6 rookies at Arizona (12/10) - RT T.J. Clemmings, WR Stefon Diggs, LB Eric Kendricks, LB Edmond Robinson, CB Trae Waynes and S Anthony Harris - the most in franchise history.

• TE Kyle Rudolph is 3rd among all TEs with 22 catches since Week 11. Rudolph set a new career-high with 106 receiving yards on 6 catches vs. Green Bay (11/22) and had a season-high 7 catches at Atlanta (11/29). Rudolph also has a team-best 4 receiving TDs on the season.

• With a .643 win percentage (9-5), the Vikings have the highest home win percentage alltime among teams playing in a temporary stadium.

• QB Teddy Bridgewater has totaled 1,421 passing yards, 6 TDs, 2 INTs and a 94.6 passer rating in his last 6 road games helping the Vikings to a 4-2 record in those games.

• The Vikings have scored 11 special teams TDs since ST Coordinator Mike Preifer joined the team in 2011, tied with Philadelphia for the most in the NFL during that span.

• WR Stefon Diggs, despite only being active for 10 games, has the 2nd-most receiving yards among all rookies with 638 yards, trailing only Oakland WR Amari Cooper who has 920 playing in 13 games.

• Vikings TEs Kyle Rudolph, MyCole Pruitt and Rhett Ellison and FB Zach Line combined for 10 receptions for 168 yards, including plays of 41, 32 and 24 yards at Arizona (12/10).

• The Vikings are the only team in the NFL to have 2 rookies with 3 sacks - LB Eric Kendricks (4.0) and DE Danielle Hunter (3.5).

• CB Terence Newman, who started at S at Arizona in Week 14 due to injuries in the secondary, has 3 INTs in the past 5 games after recording his 6th career multi-INT game at Oakland in Week 10 and grabbing an INT at Atlanta (11/29). Newman was named NFC DPOW for his game at Oakland and now has 40 career INTs, 3rd among all active players.

VIKINGS-BEARS CONNECTIONS

• Vikings GM Rick Spielman served as the Bears Director of Pro Personnel from 1997-99. Vikings Assistant General Manager George Paton also served on the Bears staff alongside Spielman.

• Vikings Head Athletic Trainer Eric Sugarman interned with the Bears athletic training staff from 1993-95 and served as the Bears Assistant Athletic Trainer from 1997-99. Vikings Assistant Athletic Trainer Rob Roche was a training camp intern for the Bears from 1998-99.

• Vikings College Scout/Regional Pat Roberts interned with the Bears in 1998 and from 1999-2003, he was the Bears Northeast Area Scout before moving to the Southeast Area in 2004.

• Bears G Vladimir Ducasse played for the Vikings in 2014.

NFL CONNECTIONS

• Vikings OL Coach Jeff Davidson served as the offensive coordinator on Bears HC John Fox's staff in Carolina from 2007-10.

• Vikings CB Captain Munnerlyn was drafted by the Panthers while Bears HC John Fox was in the same role in Carolina.

LOCAL CONNECTIONS

• Bears ST coordinator Jeff Rodgers and DL Coach Jay Rodgers were both born in St. Paul, Minnesota.

• Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer was born in Peoria, Illinois and attended

Lockport Township High School in suburban Chicago. Zimmer played QB and later LB at Illinois State (74-77).

• Vikings ST Coordinator Mike Priefer coached special teams at Northern Illinois (2000-01).

• Vikings RBs Coach Kirby Wilson played RB and WR at University of Illinois from 1981-82. Wilson completed his educated and earned his degree from Eastern Illinois, then went on to coach LBs then become the Passing Game Coordinator at Southern Illinois from 1991-92.

• Vikings Assistant Athletic Trainer Rob Roche earned his degree at University of Illinois.

• Vikings Ring of Honor member and College Scout/Regional Scott Studwell played LB for University of Illinois.

COLLEGE CONNECTIONS

• Bears LB Christian Jones and DT Eddie Goldman were teammates with Vikings CB Xavier Rhodes at Florida State.

• Bears WR Joshua Bellamy played at Louisville with Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater in 2011.

• Bears LB Lamin Barrow played at LSU with Vikings DE Danielle Hunter.

• Bears RB Jeremy Langford played with Vikings CB Trae Waynes at Michigan State from 2012-14.

• Vikings LB Audie Cole, who is currently on IR, and Bears LB Willie Young played together at North Carolina State from 2008-09.

VIKINGS-BEARS SERIES NOTES

• The Vikings and Bears have played 109 times with Minnesota holding a 56-51-2 series record.

• The last time the Vikings and Bears met in Minnesota was in Week 17 of the 2014 season, a 13-9 Vikings win.

• The Vikings and Bears have played 5 overtime games in series history, with Minnesota holding a 4-1 advantage in those games.

• The Vikings and Bears have squared off once in the playoffs, a 35-18 Chicago victory in Minnesota during the 1994 NFC Wild Card Round.

A WIN WOULD

• Improve Mike Zimmer's record as a head coach to 16-14 and bump Teddy Bridgewater's record as a starting QB to 15-11.

• Give the Vikings their 4th NFC North victory in 2015. The Vikings had 3 division victories combined in 2013 and 2014.

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