Archive for December, 2010

Most of our worst expectations for tonight’s game came true:  The field was hard and slippery.  Brett Favre did not make it through the game.  The Bears’ defense was dominating.  Devin Hester did burn us in the return game.  And, oh yeah, Joe Webb did end up looking like the rookie quarterback he is.  Take everything together and what do you get?  A 40-14 drubbing at the hands of a clearly superior opponent.  It was a night of big plays for the Bears, the biggest being a 67-yard Johnny Knox touchdown pass from Jay Cutler, with an assist to Madieu [...]

It was a tough night for the Vikings.  Okay, a very tough night.  A brutal night.  A franchise-turning sort of night.  Maybe the last game ever for Brett Favre.  And maybe the beginning of the Joe Webb era in Minnesota?  It’s too early to tell, but Webb did at least flash his talent on a couple of plays – especially this touchdown run in the 3rd quarter. Follow FanSided on Facebook. Follow The Viking Age on Twitter. Site5 and Fansided Holiday Season Charity Drive: Give to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

This weekend Vikings punter Chris Kluwe got a lot of heat when he called the TCF Bank Stadium turf unplayable, and stated that any player who hit his head on said turf would certainly suffer a concussion. Tonight, Kluwe’s words proved prophetic.  In the second quarter, Brett Favre took a hard hit from the Bears Corey Wootton and did not immediately get up.  After getting Favre off the field and examining him, the Vikings’ trainers announced that Favre suffered a head injury on the play. Since Favre’s removal, the Bears scored a second touchdown to go up 17-7.  A sense [...]

Just as I predicted all week:  Brett Favre started tonight against the Bears and, on the Vikings’ first drive, led them right down the field and finished it off with a touchdown pass to Percy Harvin.  I should start playing the stock market. Follow FanSided on Facebook. Follow The Viking Age on Twitter. Site5 and Fansided Holiday Season Charity Drive: Give to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

We have the official answer on Brett Favre‘s status for tonight’s game:  He is active and will start. Favre will not, however, be handing off to Adrian Peterson who is inactive with ankle and knee issues.  Peterson suffered a sprained ankle several weeks ago, missed a game then returned only to bang knees with Tarvaris Jackson, suffering a second injury. Did the field conditions have anything to do with the Vikings’ decision to take the cautious approach with Peterson?  Certainly, between Favre and Peterson, Adrian is the more important player for the future.  So maybe it was the right decision [...]

This was supposed to be a Brett Favre-free Vikings-Bears game preview but, as you well know, Favre has a funny way of re-inserting himself into the conversation when you least expect it, as he did today when the Vikings suddenly and controversially upgraded him from out to questionable (bypassing doubtful altogether).  As of right now, Favre is not yet officially the starter for tonight’s snowy game at TCF Bank Stadium, but this seems a mere technicality.  The plan, as far as we know, is to have Favre test his arm three hours before game time, and decide if the numbness [...]

Indications are that Brett Favre will play tonight at frozen, snowbound TCF Bank Stadium against his age-old rivals the Chicago Bears.  But, if for some reason the plan changes and Favre is unable to go, don’t worry about the Vikings quarterbacks-wise.  They have plenty of others to choose from. There’s Joe Webb, who was going to start tonight until Favre intervened.  Then there’s Patrick Ramsey who was signed last week to back-up Webb.  Oh, and there’s also R.J. Archer, whom the Vikings activated from the practice squad to be their emergency third QB (you know, before Favre’s arm suddenly healed). [...]

Covers.com was once again nice enough to ask me to participate in their Monday Night Debate.  Here’s what I had to say about tonight’s big match-up with the Bears.  Keep in mind that, at the time, I like everyone else had no idea Brett Favre was going to play.  You can also check out what Mike from BearGogglesOn had to say about the Bears, if you’re in to that sort of thing.  Thanks again to Covers.com. Follow FanSided on Facebook. Follow The Viking Age on Twitter. Site5 and Fansided Holiday Season Charity Drive: Give to the Boys and Girls Clubs [...]

Your sedate afternoon lead-up to the meaningless Monday night game has been interrupted for this special announcement:  Brett Favre is going to try to play. You thought this was impossible?  Well, so did everyone else.  But, apparently, that whole thing where you list someone as “out” on the injury report is a lot more – to borrow a Brad Childress word – fluid than we previously believed.  The Star-Trib is now reporting that Favre has been upgraded to questionable and will test out his arm prior to the game to see if he can indeed take the field to begin [...]

So far, we’ve heard nothing but glowing reports about TCF Bank Stadium, the venue for Monday night’s Vikings-Bears tilt.  But that’s changing now that the players have gotten a look at the surface, which up until a few days ago was buried under a foot-and-a-half of snow. The first negative review comes via Chris Kluwe, who offers this strongly-worded assessment of the TCF turf on Twitter: Serious time – All respect to the people that cleared the field and got it ready, you did an amazing job. That being said, it’s unplayable. The field is as hard as concrete an [...]