MVN: Most Valuable Network

I don't know if it's possible to overstate how important this game is, in very different ways, for both of the teams playing on Sunday night.

For the Bears, it's a chance to put a serious crimp in Minnesota's plans for a division title and playoff spot. A victory here gives the Bears a decisive advantage in the event they tie for the same record at the end of the regular season. While beating the Vikings would not eliminate them from contending for the division title, it would put the Vikings in a big hole with four games to play.

For the Vikings, Sunday night's game looms large because of a pair of defenders who do the same. Pat and Kevin Williams, the run-stuffing, field-clogging, nigh-impenetrable duo who rule the middle of the field, are both facing potential - and likely - four-game suspensions for taking a supplement that can mask the use of steroids, which is specifically banned by the NFL's drug policy. The Vikings have no one on their roster who can come even close to replacing one of them, much less both of them, and losing the two for any length of time, like say, the last four games of the regular season when you're trailing in your division with pretty much no chance of winning a wild card spot, would be crippling. So the Vikings need to win Sunday night to move to 7-5, then hope for a split of their last four games down the stretch and some help.

On a side note, I'd like to thank the NFL for it's outstanding drug policy and the fast, efficient way they enforce it. If you're not familiar with it, a player is allowed to appeal a positive drug test once they fail it, and are allowed to continue to play until their appeal is heard. The Williams' failed their tests in late October, around the 25th or 26th from what I remember, and of course immedietely appealed their sentence. How convenient of the NFL to take its sweet-ass time to hear their suspensions, knowing the Vikings are in the thick of a playoff race and with a major prime time contest against a divisional opponent looming. If you don't think the NFL drug (HA!) it's feet on this intentionally, you're either a Vikings fan or I've got a bridge you may be interested in.

As for the game itself, while it's Week 13 for the rest of the NFL, in Lovieland it's Week 2 and the Bears and Vikings are tied at 1-0. Since the defense played pretty well against bottom-feeding St. Louis last week to open the "season according to Lovie Smith", we'll go ahead and give them the benefit of the doubt the defense has now decided it's finally time to be the best in the league, as they've said so many times this season they could be.

Unfortunately for the Bears, they're facing Adrian Peterson on Sunday, and when it comes to the Bears, he likes to play Terminator to the Bears' LAPD. The run defense is going to have to be huge Sunday night to keep him contained as the Bears can't allow him to have a big game if they want to win.

The upside is that Gus Frerotte is, to paraphrase Dennis Green, who we thought he was - in other words, not very good. He's struggled of late and so has the Minnesota passing game, so the onus will be very much on Peterson to carry the team, which is something he's very capable of doing. But if Frerotte can't get it done in the air, the Bears may be able to shut down Minnesota's ground game and make life difficult for Peterson.

For the Bears, Matt Forte is going to be the key to offensive success, as usual. His first prime-time performance against Indianapolis was one to remember, so here's hoping the kid likes having all eyes on him and has another big game in him. Getting Forte going will take the pressure off Kyle Orton, who is still likely to be a bit hobbled by his ankle injury and may have trouble attacking the Vikings vertically. While Orton has been impressive at times this year, I expect the Bears to run the ball a lot and try to keep Orton out of difficult down-and-distance situations where he may struggle.

 The teams combined for 89 points the last time they met, but I don't think that's going to happen this time around. Ultimately I think the Williams' will be able to slow down Forte and put the onus on Orton to beat them, and he's still knicked up with a high ankle sprain so I don't think he's got it in him. The Vikings will win 23-17 and take over sole possession of first place in the NFC North, though they won't hold on to it for long.