TED SUNDQUIST'S WEEK THIRTEEN GAME REVIEWS: BEARS AT VIKINGS

[Editor's note:  Former Broncos G.M. Ted Sundquist breaks down the Week Thirteen game between Bears at Vikings.] 
Things are beginning to shake out in the NFC North, but not in the manner of which pleases Bears & Packer fans all that much. Minnesota broke loose from the pack (& the Bears) with a convincing 34-14 victory at the Metrodome. Green Bay had fallen earlier to the Carolina Panthers, so with a win on Sunday Night the Vikings could put some distance between both division rivals.
Chicago had taken game one in a wild 48-41 shootout and was looking to sweep the season series in a division that no one seemed to want to take control of. But with the game on their “home turf” and possessing the explosive Adrian Peterson and a defense led by the relentless Jared Allen, the Vikings would to go 4-1 since first falling to the Bears.
Inconsistency has plagued both clubs for much of 2008. The formula has been somewhat the same though; strong run game, stout defense and flash QB play. A combination of any or all three had brought them to identical 6-5 records. Minnesota’s defense had been clamping down on the run all season. In their first match rookie RB Matt Forte managed only 56 yards on 20 carries. The Vikings would once again be looking to bottle up the Bears on the ground and force QB Kyle Orton to beat them through the air (especially on 1^st down).
KEY #1 would be to keep 3rd down manageable for Chicago via the pass on 1st. The Bears had been 57.8% efficient on 1^st through the air (4+ yards), while the Vikings had actually bent a bit on defense (55.4%). Chicago failed miserably. The Bears would face nine 3rd & long situations, another two 3^rd & medium (4-6) and only two 3^rd & short scenarios. Orton was 3 of 10 on first down, with two interceptions and a sack. The Bears went 3 & out five times, 4 & out once.
KEY #2 was similar to game one in Chicago’s need to corral Viking RB Adrian Peterson. Peterson ripped off 121 yards & 2 TD’s in the initial contest and Minnesota’s offense starts with #28. Once again the Bears would fail miserably. A.P. rushed for 131 yards on 28 carries. He had a long of 59 and 1 TD, while averaging 4.7 per carry. Peterson likes to attack the perimeter and get into open space, but it was up the middle that he looked almost unstoppable.  Yards after contact accounted for a large portion of his overall total as the Bears did a poor job of tackling at the point.
Chicago’s secondary had been scorched by the likes of Tennessee, Green Bay and St. Louis over the past few weeks. With so much attention focused on Peterson, QB Gus Frerotte would want to look to his WR tandem of Bobby Wade and Bernard Berrian as they attacked some of the gaps in Chicago’s Cover 2 (KEY #3). Peterson indeed bought Frerotte some time as the vet QB hit 16 of 25 for 210 yards. Wade caught one pass for 15 yards, but it was Berrian’s 99+ yard TD reception that broke the back of Chicago. After Matt Forte was stuffed on 4^th & 1 at the “mere” inch line, Frerotte hooked up with Berrian on what was easily the longest play from scrimmage you’ll ever see. This single play flipped what should have been a 14-3 Bear lead into a 10-7 Viking advantage that they never surrendered. The ex-Bear would finish with 4 for 122 yards and the 99 yard score.Minnesota had recorded 14 sacks over 4 games since last playing Chicago.
KEY #4 would be to generate more of the same against Bear QB Kyle Orton. The resulting pressure might force some turnovers, especially if Chicago struggled to establish KEY #1 (they did). I felt the Vikings would attempt to anticipate Orton’s snap count to get the quick jump with the help of the crowd noise. Chicago had only one false start (Devin Hester) and it was Minnesota hit with two offsides & one encroachment penalty. But the pressure did come in the form of 3 sacks, 6 hurries and a resulting 3 picks. I had stated that the Vikings had only 8 interceptions on the year, but all had come in multiples. Minnesota hit the “jackpot” again with pressure in the face of Orton that led to major miscues. All three turnovers led to 17 second half points.
KEY #5 was to be the leg strength of Viking PK Ryan Longwell given a close game at the end. Longwell hit field goals of 23 & 27 yards, but the matchup was out of reach midway through the 4^th quarter and Longwell’s long range accuracy wasn’t needed.