[Rob Babcock]

Rolling right over Da Bearz!   Yikes, Brett thru for so many yards I thought his arm might fall off!   No matter how they do in the playoffs I'm always content so long as they sweep the Packers, and sweeping Chicago is almost as good.

BTW, what's up with Cutler?  I was really worried when they traded for him, but so far he hasn't done diddly.

[maxwalrath]

Philly fan here, but I got my $100 on the Vikes to win the SB in before the season at 20-1 (along with some teams not doing nearly as well)...go Vikes!  They look really, really good. 

In Cutler's defense, he only deserved 1 of those picks, and Hester isn't a big time receiver...plus Forte is stinking it up this year.  He'll be better with another year in the system and a better supporting cast of wr's. 

[jackman]

The Vikings look good, but it's hard to tell against a team as bad as the Bears have become.  I can't blame it all on Cutler because he is only part of the problem.  The defense gave up a ton of yards, there were tons of penalties and sloppy play, the Bears have no running game and no real receivers.  They are almost as bad as Cleveland or the Raiders.  Lovie Smith, Jerry Angelo, and the coaching staff needs to go away for good. 

Cutler threw one bad pick but the one over the middle (the one that was tipped and intercepted) was a bad no-call and should have been pass interference.  These are the types of calls you don't get when your team sucks.  And the Bears suck.  They would have lost anyway but the game would have been less painful to watch.


I'm just upset the Bears don't have cheerleaders!  At least we'd have something to look at during hte game!   Good luck Vikings!  This looks to be your yhear.

Cheers,

J

[Rob Babcock]

Losing Urlacher really hurt Chicago.  And certainly Cutler doesn't have much to throw at.  Beating the Bears in their current state isn't proof positive that the Vikes are the real deal, but it's always nice to see 'em come out on top in a division rivalry game.  Still, I'm pleased by the Vikes, and this is probably the most complete, well rounded team they've ever had.  Maybe a hair short of the offensive firepower they had back in '98, but the tremendous running attack and dominating defense they now have makes up for it.  They really should have beat the Steelers, but even at 10-1 it's an impressive season so far.  If the Silver Fox (hehe! ) holds up and they stay healthy I like their chances in January.

[jackman]

Hey Rob, I did not mean to underscore the caliber of the Vikes.  They look great on defense, have the best running back in the league (unless you take points away for fumbling) and have a great coaching staff.  Oh, and a future hall of famer directing traffic on the O side.  I hope they win everything this year.  Fun team to watch!

The Bears really piss me off.  Not just because they are bad at football.  They have lots of guys hurt but no excuses.  I feel sorry for Cutler because he has no protection or running game.  Even worse, he has no offensive coordinator.  Even WORSE, they cut my favorite player, AFC Defensive Player of the Week, Mike Brown.  He would have signed for the minimum but the Bears wanted no part of him.  Brown was the real leader of the defense.  I wish the Vikes would have picked him up and really rubbed it in the Bears faces.

Cheers,

J

[MarkM]

I'm just upset the Bears don't have cheerleaders!  At least we'd have something to look at during hte game!   Good luck Vikings!  This looks to be your yhear.

Cheers,

J

You want the Honey Bears back?     At least Chicago won the one game I went to this year, an unimpressive victory over Detroit on a perfect weather day in Chicago.

The Vikes and fudgepackers have built solid teams while the Bears have drafted poorly and not spent any real $$$.    Time for regime change, Lovies team lacks discipline, fire, execution and playmakers. (Johny Knox should be starting)

Hats off to the Vikes.

[maxwalrath]

Agree...Johnny Knox should definitely be a starter.

[jackman]

Agree...Johnny Knox should definitely be a starter.

Sorry for stealing this thread!  We all agree the Vikes look great and it's hard for me not to cheer for that grey haired geezer making big throws in the clutch.   I could do without the Wrangler commercials but that's nit picky. 

Correct, Knox should be starting.  He needs to hold on to the ball better but he should be starting.  Who do you sit, Hester?  The other Vandy guy (what's his name?) who is a good hands posession receiver?  They need to  either fix Forte at RB or get him out of here.   That guy can catch a ball but he sucks as a runner.   Can't run around anyone or run over anyone and he's your starting RB?  I've never seen a RB who gets tackled every time in one on one situations.  What happened to the Forte from last year?


Grrrrr.

[Bigfish]

Congratulations Vikings Fans!  You are pulling for one of the three best teams in football this year.  My team is in the other conference so being an old guy I find myself routing for the Vikings!  I would like to see Brett make it to one more Superbowl!

Your team really has a pretty tough finishing schedule:

at Arizona
Bengals at home
at Carolina
at Chicago
Giants at home

You have a team that could win them all but at least 2 of those teams are play-off bound!

Good Luck and keep it rolling!

Ken

[macrojack]

The worst I can imagine for the Vikes is two more losses for a 13-3 finish and a first round bye and possibly home field throughout the playoffs. It's too early to think beyond that point but your future is certainly rosie.

My team, Denver, has historically lost to lousy teams as the season winds down. Maybe the new coach will change that but the recent 4 game swoon keeps me from feeling very optimistic about seeing them in the playoffs.

It looks like all the division winners are pretty predictable right now except for the NFC East. Nobody wants that one.
The big question is about Wild Cards. What's your best guess about who will fill these four spots?

[maxwalrath]

The worst I can imagine for the Vikes is two more losses for a 13-3 finish and a first round bye and possibly home field throughout the playoffs. It's too early to think beyond that point but your future is certainly rosie.

My team, Denver, has historically lost to lousy teams as the season winds down. Maybe the new coach will change that but the recent 4 game swoon keeps me from feeling very optimistic about seeing them in the playoffs.

It looks like all the division winners are pretty predictable right now except for the NFC East. Nobody wants that one.
The big question is about Wild Cards. What's your best guess about who will fill these four spots?

Dallas (@ Giants, vs. Chargers, @ New Orleans, @ Washington, vs. Philadelphia) has a much harder schedule than Philly (@ Atlanta, @ Giants, vs. San Fran, vs. Denver, @ Dallas).  Dallas's opponents have a slightly better winning percentage that Philadelphia's, but the Chargers, N.O. and Washington are getting better while Atlanta and arguably San Fran and Denver have been sliding lately.  The Chargers and New Orleans in particular are really tough games for Dallas.  For the Eagles, the San Fran and Denver games are cross-country trips to the east coast, which never bodes well for a visiting team. 

That aside, traditionally Philadelphia has been coming together in December, while Dallas has been falling apart.  It should come down to week 17 in Dallas.  My guess would be Philadelphia wins the NFC East by virtue of conference tie-breakers.

Green Bay has a tough schedule, but I think they'll get to at least 9-7 with wins over Seattle and Chicago, and Dallas at about 10-6 will get the other wild card.  If I'm wrong about Dallas and they play well in December, then everything points to Philly getting the other wild card. 

I think the Giants and Falcons are heading in the wrong direction and have too many injuries to make a playoff appearance.  The long-shot in the NFC is San Francisco.  They were sliding for a few games, but won 2 of their last 3, and still have games against Seattle, St. Louis and Detroit.  If they win these and manage a victory against Arizona or at Philadelphia, things will get interesting. 

In the AFC, Denver has 3 games against KC and Oakland remaining, so I'd imagine they will get in at 10-6 or so.  Like most other people I was very quick to write them off after their 4 game losing streak, but in their defense they played San Diego, Pittsburgh and Baltimore during that stretch.

Jacksonville plays Houston, Miami, Indy and NE the next 4 weeks.  I don't think they'll make it. 

Pittsburgh and Baltimore have 3 cake games a piece left (Pittsburgh vs. Oakland, @ Cleveland, @ Miami (I think Miami is better than their record but the Steelers should win); Baltimore vs. Detroit, vs. Chicago, @ Oakland).  I'd guess that whoever wins the week 16 game between Baltimore and Pittsburgh in week 16 will be in.  That said, the AFC is really wide open.  All the 5-6 teams have a shot. 

Thoughts?

[macrojack]

If the Titans beat the Colts this coming week, they could be the most surprising comeback in NFL history, a surprise playoff entrant and a spoiler for Sandy ego.
One can only hope.

[Bigfish]

If the Titans beat the Colts this coming week, they could be the most surprising comeback in NFL history, a surprise playoff entrant and a spoiler for Sandy ego.
One can only hope.

Yes, the Titans could pull it off but making the playoffs will be a very long shot.  The early loses to division opponents will hurt them in the tie breaker analysis!

Ken