Week 12, BEARS vs. Vikings, Game Preview

Ugh.  Another OL debacle.  Another backup quarterback failure.  This time the defense joins the party and can't stop anyone.  But the Niners loss isn't on the D.  It's unrealistic to expect them to hold every team under 14 points while scoring a TD themselves.  At some point, the offense needs to get it going.

About that offense....it's pretty ugly right now.  But on the bright side, there are a couple positives.  Jay Cutler is probably going to be back this Sunday.  And finally there are some changes on the OL.  Chilo Rachal was terrible and has been benched and basically cut after leaving the team facility in anger after hearing that doing your job poorly actually leads to losing your job.  Also appears that Gabe Carimi lost the coin toss and will be replaced by journeyman, Jonathan Scott.  At this point....it can't be any worse, right?  On the downside, the Bears have lost Alshon Jeffery again, after just 1 week back, to arthoscopic knee surgery.  However, if Cutler is back, this is the time the Bears offense needs to get it going.  The last time the Vikings played, their pass D allowed 12 catches for 207 yards to Calvin Johnson.  Not that I'm expecting the same from Brandon Marshall, but the Vikings are probably going to try to play Harrison Smith over the top to essentially double cover him.  If Mike Tice has any ability as an offensive coordinator whatsoever (and it's debatable whether he does or not) the Bears will get Marshall going on some crossing routes to the middle of the field.  But they also have to take advantage of one of the Vikings best run defenders being outside of the tackle box by running and throwing the ball to Forte, to force the Vikes D to leave Marshall 1-on-1 on the outside, where he is a big matchup problem, even with Antoine Winfield playing at a high level this season.  This would be a good week to get Devin Hester going as for whatever reason, he has really dominated the Vikings in his career.  In 9 games vs. Minnesota (on offense) he has 23 catches for 384 yards and 5 TDs.  Not eyepopping numbers but he's had more success vs. the Vikes than he's had vs. any other team.  Minnesota has also had trouble this year with their LBs in coverage as RBs and TEs have had a lot of success in the passing game against them.  It's time to get Forte back into the passing game, and give Evan Rodriguez a little more action. 

On defense, it's not really a mystery what the Bears need to do.  They gotta stop Adrian Peterson.  The Bears have struggled in the past vs. Peterson, but it hasn't been from being beaten by the Vikings OL.  Peterson's big games vs. the Bears have come when they haven't tackled well.  The Bears gotta get 11 guys to the ball and bring him down on first or 2nd contact.  With Percy Harvin looking like he's not going to go this week, the Bears pass D gets a little break.  The Vikings will use a variety of receivers without Harvin, and while none of them should scare the Bears, they do have a few guys that can really take the top off of the defense.  Jenkins, Wright, Aromashodu, and Simpson will all get looks deep at some point.  The Bears DBs have done a pretty good job though this year not allowing much down the field.  They've also done a pretty good job of trusting the front 6 or 7 (depending on if in nickel or not) to make tackles in the run game and staying with the called coverage. 

With Cutler and the home field advantage, the Bears should be able to win this game against a Vikings team that is 1-3 on the road this year.  But to do so, they have to tackle Peterson on 1st down.  Force Christian Ponder into obvious passing situations and then get after an OL that has allowed its share of sacks this year.  Ponder also has had his fair share of turnovers, but when he has been mistake free, his team has won.  If the defense gets a turnover early and the offense can actually try scoring early for a change, the Vikings won't be able to comeback on the Bears D.