Bears vs. Vikings Pregame; Win and in

[Demarates]

By Odin, an early lead we must have and NO f%*µing TURNOVERS !

[Bowhunting Viking]

By Odin, an early lead we must have and NO f%*µing TURNOVERS !

AND add to that to stop the STUPID self inflicted penalties at the worse times.
We have to get a sizable lead real fast, turn our D loose on Trubisky then control the clock. Simple as that.
But add to that plan is quit the stupid holding penalties that have been negating big plays on O and stop the stupid illegal contact, hands to the face and PI penalties that ruin 3rd down stops and cause automatic 1st downs that keep opponents on the field.
Of course the guys in the black n white shirts have had their fair share of helping with that I hope the officiating crews get it together and quit ruining the games with bad calls and no calls when they are obvious and let the game be decided by the players

[Pondering Her Percy]

Not sure why but I have a good feeling about this game. I say 24-17 Vikes

[Purple Domination]

Most importantly, we CANNOT turn the ball over. As we all know, Chicago thrives off turnovers, and they're really good at causing them. We have got to cover up when we're about to get tackled. The Bears are masters at punching the ball out. Cousins has to keep from fumbling. He's been much better lately with the fumbles, and that needs to continue. Obviously we can't afford stupid interceptions, like the pick-6 in Chicago. If we end up even or in the plus column when it comes to turnovers, I like our chances.

Pelissero is reporting that Theilen has been fielding punts in practice this week. I love Theilen, but the memory of the muff in the ‘16 Cowboys game is too fresh in my mind to be excited about that.

[PacificNorseWest]

^I forgot about that.

I do worry about making a change like this so late in the season. Of course, the change is necessary because of the injury to Sherels, but I'd feel more comfortable going to someone who fields punts in practice on a regular basis rather than add more to Thielen's plate. And then again, it's time to play your best hand and Thielen is one of your better offensive players, so go for it and see if it can add more of a spark.

[Bowhunting Viking]

^I forgot about that.

I do worry about making a change like this so late in the season. Of course, the change is necessary because of the injury to Sherels, but I'd feel more comfortable going to someone who fields punts in practice on a regular basis rather than add more to Thielen's plate. And then again, it's time to play your best hand and Thielen is one of your better offensive players, so go for it and see if it can add more of a spark.

Yes I understand that idea, but there is the other side to that option. Do we really want to take the chance of an injury to one of our most important weapons and one of the heart and sound leaders of this team to put him in to return a punt? I just don't see taking that chance. I would rather put in one of the back up returners who regularly practices as a back up and not take that chance.

[Bowhunting Viking]

Oops I hit submit before I was done. Was gonna say I would rather but Zylstra oe Hill back there and let them have a chance to do something heroic and try and protect AT. But if they do use AT and he rips off a TD return then I will post that I was all for it!!! Lol

[Mothman]

^I forgot about that.

I do worry about making a change like this so late in the season. Of course, the change is necessary because of the injury to Sherels, but I'd feel more comfortable going to someone who fields punts in practice on a regular basis rather than add more to Thielen's plate. And then again, it's time to play your best hand and Thielen is one of your better offensive players, so go for it and see if it can add more of a spark.

Exactly. Dennis Green used to have Anthony Carter return punts in big games or important moments and sometimes it paid off.

[S197]

Most importantly, we CANNOT turn the ball over. As we all know, Chicago thrives off turnovers, and they're really good at causing them. We have got to cover up when we're about to get tackled. The Bears are masters at punching the ball out. Cousins has to keep from fumbling. He's been much better lately with the fumbles, and that needs to continue. Obviously we can't afford stupid interceptions, like the pick-6 in Chicago. If we end up even or in the plus column when it comes to turnovers, I like our chances.

Pelissero is reporting that Theilen has been fielding punts in practice this week. I love Theilen, but the memory of the muff in the ‘16 Cowboys game is too fresh in my mind to be excited about that.

My guess is Zylstra is primary (he should be active with Beebe out) and Thielen is contingency if he gets hurt.

[PacificNorseWest]

^I forgot about that.

I do worry about making a change like this so late in the season. Of course, the change is necessary because of the injury to Sherels, but I'd feel more comfortable going to someone who fields punts in practice on a regular basis rather than add more to Thielen's plate. And then again, it's time to play your best hand and Thielen is one of your better offensive players, so go for it and see if it can add more of a spark.

Yes I understand that idea, but there is the other side to that option. Do we really want to take the chance of an injury to one of our most important weapons and one of the heart and sound leaders of this team to put him in to return a punt? I just don't see taking that chance. I would rather put in one of the back up returners who regularly practices as a back up and not take that chance.

I don't think you should ever sacrifice a good opportunity to create big plays because of a worry that you risk getting a healthy player injured. Especially not at this point in the season and in this situation.

[PurpleMustReign]

Yes I understand that idea, but there is the other side to that option. Do we really want to take the chance of an injury to one of our most important weapons and one of the heart and sound leaders of this team to put him in to return a punt? I just don't see taking that chance. I would rather put in one of the back up returners who regularly practices as a back up and not take that chance.

I don't think you should ever sacrifice a good opportunity to create big plays because of a worry that you risk getting a healthy player injured. Especially not at this point in the season and in this situation.

Agree 100%.

Julien Edelman returns punts for the Patriots so it's not like a starting WR has never returned a punt.

[PurpleKoolaid]

Diggs returning punts/kicks would make more sense. He has better moves and is faster. Plus, if we lose Diggs its not the end of the world. If we lose Thielen it is.

The Vikes cant beat winning teams, and the Bears are a winning team with a chip on their shoulders. Any team can say, 'well, if we dont make any mistakes, and can run the ball at home, we should win'. And 95% of the time they would be right. The Bear are a better team, with a really good QB, who plays to win. the Vikes dont have that. They have a tentative, un-althertic QB, who coughs up the ball when the pressure is on. I really hate to be a Debbie downer, but if we were somehow to show up at home, and beat the better team, we will not beat that team at Soldier's field. unless one of us has really good karma stored up.

[Purple Domination]

Diggs returning punts/kicks would make more sense. He has better moves and is faster. Plus, if we lose Diggs its not the end of the world. If we lose Thielen it is.

I agree with everything you just said except that I think both Diggs and Thielen are equally valuable if one were lost.

[PacificNorseWest]

at better moves and is faster.

That's true. PR is a different beast though. You need to have sure hands -- sure hands in a PR sense and not just a catching the football sense, if that makes sense. You need to also have the ability to understand when to return it and when to fair catch, when to let the ball go...A lot of your explosive player types don't have the best feel for it and/or they are so hell bent on creating an explosive play that they forget one of those details or do something stupid.

[PurpleMustReign]

Rhodes is inactive. That's two of our best defenders.