Coming into Sunday night's nationally televised contest against the Bears, the Vikes were a team (and a fan base) that expected a victory. Remarkably (if you know anything about the Vikes in pressure situations!), that is exactly what transpired, with an exclamation mark! Why did the Vikings have no excuse not to win this game? A quick recent-history lesson:
For starters, the Bears' defense is nowhere near the "Best in Show" category it was in during the earlier portion of the decade. In fact, both the Vikings and Packers have eclipsed the Bears in total team defense, with the Lions probably not as far behind as one would think. So, factor in the edge of playing the Bears twice every season (and thus knowing all their basic schemes/plays), and the Vikes would definitely be expected to light up the scoreboard.
Secondly, the Bears' offense is also relatively simple to contain. They thrive on establishing the running game with rookie phenom Matt Forte, then letting Kyle Orton heave the rock downfield to his big, athletic (although not all that talented) wide receivers and have them make plays in single coverage. So, stop the run (the Vikings' specialty), and you usually stop Da Bears. Again, that bodes well for the Vikings.
Thus, anything less than a Purple victory on Sunday night would have been a major disappointed and started the "here we go again" groanings throughout the state. Not helping matters was the little crossing pattern that Bears WR Devin Hester took 65 yards for the game's opening score, and the ensuing Vikings possession that ended up with only three points.
Of course, the big turnaround came on that tremendous goal-line stand, when the MN front four (reminiscent of the 'ole Purple People Eaters of yonder days) refused to budge an inch when an inch would have meant seven points for Chicago. From that point (well, actually, from the time Bernard Berrian started off at one goal line and ended up at the other with ball in hand), the Vikings completely dominated the game. True, "dominated" is a relative word in Vikingland (as the Bears did get to within three points early in the third quarter), but the offense stepped up when needed with big runs from Peterson and only one glaring Frerotte mistake. As usual, the defense also dominated the opposing players, limiting Orton to 153 passing yards and three picks, Forte to 96 on the ground (hey, it's under 100!), and seeing Jared "The Beast" Allen take Orton to the turf three times.
Sure, the Vikings didn't play a perfect game (who ever does?!), but they definitively got the job done, something that can't be said about similar Vikings teams in similar situations. With the win, the Vikings are now atop the NFC North with a 7-5 record and, barring complete collapse, are in great position for a playoff berth.
Oh, about that "complete collapse" thing...stayed tuned for an update on the "Williams Wall". With those two potentially suspended, the "Wall" could easily turn into the "Purple Sieve".
