The Bears played surprisingly horrible defense and that’s why they lost the game today. Nobody on the whole defense played well as rookie running back Adrian Peterson gashed the Bears defense for 224 yards rushing on 20 carries (11.2 ypc) with 3 TD runs! The Vikings carried the ball 43 times for 311 yards (7.2 ypc) against the Bears today! They also completed 9 of 23 passes for 133 yards. But it was Ryan Longwell’s 55 yard field goal with time expiring that did in the Bears.

Brian Griese played a solid game as he completed 26 of 45 passes for 381 yards with 3 TD passes and 2 interceptions. His 3rd TD pass of the game was a 81 yard bomb to Devin Hester with only 1:38 left in the game. Hester also returned 4 kickoffs for 86 yards (21.5 avg) and 4 punts for 108 yards (27.0 avg) including an 89-yarder for a TD! Cedric Benson was his usual awful self as he managed 67 yards on 18 carries (3.7 ypc) and he also added 2 catches for 18 yards (9.0 avg). Adrian Peterson pitched in with 2 carries for 11 yards (5.5 ypc) and he also caught 5 passes for 28 yards (5.6 avg). WRs Bernard Berrian (5 rec, 78 yards, TD) and Mushin Muhammad (2 rec, 44 yards, TD) both had solid games. Rookie TE Greg Olsen also was good with 5 grabs for 63 yards (12.6 avg). The Bears finished with 83 yards rushing on 24 carries (3.5 ypc) and they completed 26 of 45 passes for 375 yards.

The Vikings are coming off their bye week having lost three straight games while the Bears finally played a complete football game on both sides of the ball in beating the Packers.

The starting QB job is up in the air for this week for the Vikings as Kelly Holcomb and Tavaris Jackson have been splitting the snaps. No matter who starts at QB the Vikings will likely want to run the ball. Chester Taylor and rookie Adrian Peterson (383 yards rushing, 5.0 ypc) will likely split the carries against a rugged Bears defense that is allowing 98.8 yards rushing per game and only 3.7 yards per carry. If the Vikings were smart they would start Holcomb and try to throw a little bit against a Bears defense that is allowing 246.0 yards passing per game.

The Bears might just come of the bus throwing the football on Sunday afternoon. The Vikings defense only allows 62.0 yards rushing per game and 2.5 yards per carry this season and with Cedric Benson (303 yards rushing, 3.0 ypc) running poorly look for Brian Griese to take to the air. If Griese gets time to throw the football (Bears QBs have been sacked 17 times this season) then the Bears will have success throwing the ball against a defense that is allowing 266.8 yards passing per game. Look for the Bears to try to throw to the receivers a little more than they have been as Bernard Berrian (25 rec, 330 yards) and Mushin Muhammad (10 rec, 102 yards) are better players than they have shown so far this season. But look for the Bears to keep Desmond Clark (19 rec, 231 yards, 2 TDs) and rookie Greg Olsen (6 rec, 85 yards, TD) both involved in short passes over the middle of the field.

PREDICTION: The Bears are the better football team here. Look for Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher to shut down the Vikings running game and force the Vikings to pass

The Bears were down 17-7 at the half before they woke up and they did so in time to win the game. Brian Griese was very efficient throwing the football as he completed 15 of 25 passes for 214 yards with 2 TD passes and 1 interception. Cedric Benson continued his awful play as he carried the ball 27 times for 64 yards (2.4 ypc) with 1 TD run. Griese was keying the tight ends in this game as both Desmond Clark (3 rec, 62 yards, game-winning TD) and rookie Greg Olsen (4 rec, 57 yards, TD) had outstanding games. The Bears finished up with 82 yards rushing on 33 carries (2.5 ypc) and they also completed 15 of 25 passes for 203 yards.

The defense didn’t play that well overall but they were good in the second half which is when the Bears really needed them. Lance Briggs led the way for the Bears defense as he made 16 tackles. But CB Charles Tillman (4 tackles, 2 forced fumbles) and linebacker Brian Urlacher (6 tackles, interception) made the biggest plays of the game for the Bears. The Packers finished up with 121 yards rushing on 22 carries (5.5 ypc) and they also completed 29 of 40 passes for 318 yards.

Devin Hester is the best kick/punt returner in the NFL and the Bears will benefit as long as opposing teams are stupid and kick him the ball. Hester has returned 12 punts for 239 yards (19.9 avg) with a 73 yard TD return. He also has returned 15 kickoffs for 363 yards (24.2 avg) and he has a 97-yard TD return. The only problem Hester has is with ball security as he has fumbled the ball 4 times this season but he hasn’t lost any of them. The Bears would be smart to find other ways to get him the ball.

The Bears can’t afford another loss this week against the 4-0 Green Bay Packers. The Packers will be looking to make some distance between them and the Bears but putting another shovel full of dirt on their season.

The offense at least showed some life last week against the Lions but the Packers defense is much, much tighter. The Bears would love to run the football with Cedric Benson (239 yards rushing, 3.2 ypc) but it appears that the Bears kept the wrong running back in the off-season. Benson is a fumbler and he doesn’t finish his runs with power and that will be a problem against the Packers who the Bears should be able to run on as the Pack allows 106.3 yards rushing per game and 4.5 yards per carry. If the Bears get a running game going for once it will slow the Packers pass rush and that’s needed as the Bears have allowed 15 sacks already this season. If Griese gets time to throw the ball they will likely have some success as the Packers allow 232.3 yards per game thru the air.

The only chance the Bears have to stop Brett Favre is by blitzing him into mistakes. The Bears already have 16 sacks so the task is not impossible. But the Bears are giving up 228.0 yards passing per game and they have a ton of injuries in the secondary which means they don’t match up well with the Packers receivers who have been outstanding. The Packers will spread the Bears out and attack them down the field unless they blitz, in that case look for the Packers to throw a lot of short slants.

PREDICTION: The Packers are a much better team than the Bears are right now and it will show on the football field this weekend. Look for the Packers to win this game by about 7 points.