ON TO MINNESOTA
It feels like the Bears beat the Rams a long time ago. Attention has quickly shifted towards beating the Vikings. It will be the most significant late-season meeting at Minnesota since 1994.
In that game, the Bears lost to the Vikings at the Metrodome 33-27 on Dec. 1 under Dave Wannstedt. It sent the Bears to a 1-3 December, while the Vikings surged to a 3-1 finish, winning the old NFC Central.
The Bears finished in second place, but still made the playoffs at 9-7.
With Ron Turner calling the plays for quarterback Steve Walsh, the Bears went back to the Metrodome on New Years Day and blew out the Vikings 35-18.
INJURIES
Bears Coach Lovie Smith indicated the injuries from Sunday’s win over the Rams do not appear to be serious. Safety Mike Brown (lower leg) missed the second half, but is expected to be ready for the Vikings. Cornerback Nathan Vasher (right thumb) left early in the fourth quarter just a few weeks removed from right wrist surgery. Tight end Desmond Clark (right knee) is expected to be okay for the Vikings and hopefully make his 63rd consecutive start.
FORTE’ CAN PLAY
With nine touchdowns in his first 11 games as a pro, running back Matt Forte’ is compiling one of the most productive rookie seasons in team history.
The single-season team record for touchdowns by a rookie back belongs to Hall of Fame inductee Gale Sayers. He collected a team record-tying 14 rushing touchdowns and six receiving touchdowns in a 14-game season in 1965.
Forte has six rushing touchdowns and three receiving touchdowns. Rashaan Salaam rushed for 10 touchdowns as a rookie, but caught only seven passes, none for touchdowns. In 2001, Anthony Thomas was the NFC offensive rookie of the year rushing for 1183 yards on 278 carries with seven rushing touchdowns. A-Train caught 22 passes, none for touchdowns.
MORE MATT
Matt Forté had 146 of the Bears 340 scrimmage yards at St. Louis (42.9 percent).
For the season, Forté has 1,245 of Chicago’s 3,585 scrimmage yards for 34.7 percent of the team’s total. T
hat is the sixth highest by an NFL rookie since the Super Bowl Era began in 1966. The five players above Forté (Marshall Faulk: 2nd overall, Eric Dickerson: 2nd overall, Edgerrin James: 4th overall, George Rogers: 1st overall and Ottis Anderson: 8th overall) were all top-eight selections in the NFL Draft their respective rookie years.
LINEBACKER SWIPES
Sunday was the first time since 10/27/1985 vs. MIN that Bears LBs combined for three or more interceptions in a game (Wilbur Marshall -2; Otis Wilson – 1).
It was also just the fourth time since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger that Bears LBs had 3 or more INTs in a single game:
11/24/2008 at STL Briggs -2; Urlacher -1
10/27/1985 vs. MIN Marshall -2; Wilson -1
12/12/1976 vs. DEN Ross Brupbacher -3
11/29/1970 at BAL Brupbacher – 1; Doug Buffone -1; Dick Butkus -1
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