Week 3: Bears @ Minnesota - Sunday, Sept. 24th, 12 pm CST

[CaliforniaRaisin]

The game is on FOX.

 

Please be safe on the turf, Sexy Rexy.

 

The usual array of pics:

 

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060917/capt.73648ee036b84967be5d82dc56d7f95f.lions_bears_football_cxb108.jpg

 

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060917/capt.9b9490d4d3bf47279b6f5693e250ec91.lions_bears_football_cxb112.jpg

 

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060917/capt.496b8e2cce29475885ebd9a6dc864187.lions_bears_football_cxb110.jpg

[NCCubFan]

The Bears will take sole possession of first place in the NFC North for good.

[Balsa]

Will this be the game ESPN starts paying attention to the Bears on?

[WrigleyField 22]

I'm saying Bears 21 Vikings 13. No real reason and analysis, just a shot in the dark.

[Butterscup1679666578]

Bears 27 Vikings 10

[UMFan83]

http://www.chicagobears.com/uploads/photos/perm/main/BPCKCAOJDPBP/abrown_vikings2.jpg

 

http://www.chicagosportsreviewimages.com/C650932268/E20060312134512/Media/featurevikingsatbears.jpg

 

http://www.ogrocki.com/bearsvikings.jpg

 

http://images.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/_photos/2004-12-05-vikes.jpg

 

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/051016/051016_vikings_vmed_1p.widec.jpg

 

http://www.chicagobears.com/uploads/photos/perm/main/KCNGHCLBBOJN/urlacher2_vikings1_10.jpg

 

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/ap/asiacxb10410162059.h2.jpg

 

http://org-www.chicagobears.com/uploads/photos/perm/main/EMBPHEJMANJD/Tillman_inside120104.jpg

 

Anyone remember this one? I have this video on my computer:

 

http://media.scout.com/Media/Image/17/170559.jpg

[UMFan83]

The Vikings are decent, and their win over the Panthers, while sloppy and pretty much given to them by Gamble, was somewhat impressive. Their win over the Redskins, who look terrible right now, was not as much. I predict a closer game then the first two, but by the end of the game it will be clear who is winning the NFC North.

 

Bears 23 Vikings 13

[sethuel1]

Mini Bears 24, Giants 14.

[David]

24-9 Bears

 

Grossman 17-27 225 yards, 2 TD 1 INT

[David]

Beautiful, isn't it?

 

Or should I say "sexy?"

 

#1 rated QB in the NFL

 

http://home.comcast.net/~davhern2/Grossman.jpg

[cubweiser03]

My local 1:00 televised game is Packers Vs Lions. You guys are jealous arent you? Thought so.

[hawkeyecub]

Beautiful, isn't it?

 

Or should I say "sexy?"

 

#1 rated QB in the NFL

 

http://home.comcast.net/~davhern2/Grossman.jpg

 

I think you proved how much that means at this point when I see him edging out Batch, Carr, Rivers and Pennington. At most one of those guys will be in the top 5 at the end of the year.

 

Go Vikes! The Bears have looked damn good in the first two games, but this should be their first actual test.

[Banedon]

Mini Bears 24, Giants 14.

 

We're playing the Vikings there buddy... :)

[Wilson A2000]

Beautiful, isn't it?

 

Or should I say "sexy?"

 

#1 rated QB in the NFL

 

http://home.comcast.net/~davhern2/Grossman.jpg

 

I think you proved how much that means at this point when I see him edging out Batch, Carr, Rivers and Pennington. At most one of those guys will be in the top 5 at the end of the year.

 

Go Vikes! The Bears have looked damn good in the first two games, but this should be their first actual test.

 

The Bears arent going to test the Vikings. When you have a team like the Bears who are clearly better than the Vikings, you dont call that a test. You call that a mismatch.

[Soriano12]

I wish Culpepper was still the QB for the Vikes.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Bears 17, Vikings 13.

[Mark_R]

 

The Bears arent going to test the Vikings. When you have a team like the Bears who are clearly better than the Vikings, you dont call that a test. You call that a mismatch.

 

Strange things happen when a team is at home and the Humpty Turf Dome is a pretty significant HFA for the Queens. That said, I think the Bears will win, but its not going to be a blowout like the first two games.

[Banedon]

 

The Bears arent going to test the Vikings. When you have a team like the Bears who are clearly better than the Vikings, you dont call that a test. You call that a mismatch.

 

Strange things happen when a team is at home and the Humpty Turf Dome is a pretty significant HFA for the Queens. That said, I think the Bears will win, but its not going to be a blowout like the first two games.

 

I just want to mention how many people were saying this about the Lions game..."It's going to be a test"..."Defensive battle"...yadda yadda. I don't think the Vikings really have a great offense. I think we can get pressure on Johnson, and he'll throw balls away. I'm not sure what to expect out of the Bears offense. I would love to say that I have complete confidence in them putting up a bunch of points each game, but it's hard to reverse all that bad offense mojo that I've witnessed for so long. I need to see it against Minny and Seattle before I'm convinced.

 

That said, I think the Bears win 17-3

[Mark_R]

 

The Bears arent going to test the Vikings. When you have a team like the Bears who are clearly better than the Vikings, you dont call that a test. You call that a mismatch.

 

Strange things happen when a team is at home and the Humpty Turf Dome is a pretty significant HFA for the Queens. That said, I think the Bears will win, but its not going to be a blowout like the first two games.

 

I just want to mention how many people were saying this about the Lions game..."It's going to be a test"..."Defensive battle"...yadda yadda. I don't think the Vikings really have a great offense. I think we can get pressure on Johnson, and he'll throw balls away. I'm not sure what to expect out of the Bears offense. I would love to say that I have complete confidence in them putting up a bunch of points each game, but it's hard to reverse all that bad offense mojo that I've witnessed for so long. I need to see it against Minny and Seattle before I'm convinced.

 

That said, I think the Bears win 17-3

 

Do you think the Bears would have won by 27 in Detroit? I doubt it. Whether you want to admit it or not, HFA is a pretty big tool, the Pack didn't utilize it simply because they are very very terrible.

 

I think the score is closer to what Vance has predicted: around 17-13. You just better hope they get out of there unscathed.

[Banedon]

Darren Sharper is confident that they will be able to slow the Bear's offense...

 

http://www.startribune.com/510/story/683518.html

 

"We usually play well against them, and I kind of predict we'll have another game like we did today," Sharper said Sunday after the Vikings' 16-13 overtime victory against Carolina improved their record to 2-0. "[it will be a] low-scoring, defensive battle. If we have to win that way, we'll win that way. We're just going to come back and keep plugging away.

 

"If we can get this one it would really set us up. You want to shoot to go 16-0, you know it's going to be a one-game season each and every weekend."

 

Reminded that Chicago has looked like an offensive juggernaut in the first two weeks, blanking Green Bay 26-0 and then routing Detroit 34-7 on Sunday, Sharper was quick to respond. "That's not against us, though," he said. "That's not against us."

[UMFan83]

^ Usually play us well?

 

We won 28-3 in the only game that mattered last year as the final game of the season was mostly without starters.

 

In 2004 when they were much better then us, we beat them at home with Chad Hutchinson at QB, and at the Metrodrome we almost upset them (the game Grossman got injured). I don't even think Sharper was on the Vikings in 2004 so I have no idea what he's talking about.

[goonys evil twin]

 

The Bears arent going to test the Vikings. When you have a team like the Bears who are clearly better than the Vikings, you dont call that a test. You call that a mismatch.

 

Strange things happen when a team is at home and the Humpty Turf Dome is a pretty significant HFA for the Queens. That said, I think the Bears will win, but its not going to be a blowout like the first two games.

 

I just want to mention how many people were saying this about the Lions game..."It's going to be a test"..."Defensive battle"...yadda yadda. I don't think the Vikings really have a great offense. I think we can get pressure on Johnson, and he'll throw balls away. I'm not sure what to expect out of the Bears offense. I would love to say that I have complete confidence in them putting up a bunch of points each game, but it's hard to reverse all that bad offense mojo that I've witnessed for so long. I need to see it against Minny and Seattle before I'm convinced.

 

That said, I think the Bears win 17-3

 

I was wrong about the Lions game, hope not this week. Because I feel they'll handle the Vikings. I always fear decent teams playing at home after a disappointing loss. But what about that same team playing a week after a lucky win? I think the Vikes would be set-up for a letdown much more than the Bears, who have a legit chip on their shoulder when it comes to the "respect" angle. Nothing the Vikings do impresses me that much. They do things well, but not outstanding, the Bears offense is good, and the defense is outstanding.

[YearofDaCubs]

I have been looking forward to this match up ever since the last game of last year when Brad Johnson was acting the fool against 2nd and 3rd string players. I have never liked Brad Johnson and nothing would satisfy me more than to see him eat dirt next week.

[Banedon]

Peter King gives the Bears some props this week, and so does Chris Collinsworth:

 

Rex Grossman is just the leader the Bears need. The confidence of this guy comes through on every pass. After two weeks he's the NFL's leading passer, with a 128.7 rating. Think of this number: He's attempted 53 passes and has 551 passing yards. That's an amazing 10.4 yards per pass play, almost two yards better than any other quarterback in football. Peyton Manning's at 8.56, Brady at 7.37. And that was no slouchy Lions defense Grossman faced Sunday and riddled for four touchdown passes. "That's my Super Bowl team,'' Cris Collinsworth said Sunday ... the same thing he had said several Sundays before. Right now, who can doubt him, or them?

 

f. That might be my worst division champ pick of all time, Detroit over Chicago.

Edited September 18, 2006 by Banedon

[goonys evil twin]

I have been looking forward to this match up ever since the last game of last year when Brad Johnson was acting the fool against 2nd and 3rd string players. I have never liked Brad Johnson and nothing would satisfy me more than to see him eat dirt next week.

 

It would be really cool if the Bears defenders carried him outside and forced him to eat dirt. That's dominance.