Joe's 2011-12 Gameday Recap: Bears 17, Vikings 13

I’m not going to spend this Gameday Recap pontificating about what could have been this Bears season. That’s for later. In today’s contest, the Bears held onto the win over the struggling Vikings to get to 8-8 on the year.

(8-8) Chicago Bears 17
(3-13) Minnesota Vikings 13

For another week Chicago’s offense sputtered and killed its own momentum with costly turnovers. Earl Bennett started the game off right with an early fumble, giving the Vikings possession and the opportunity to drive down for a field goal. A Percy Harvin run later in the first gave the Vikes a 10-0 lead and Bears fans reason to change the channel. Luckily, there was a second quarter. A rare pass to Roy Williams capped off the Bears’ only touchdown drive, but a throw off the hands of Toby Gerhart fell right into the lap of first-time Pro Bowler Charles Tillman, who ran it right back for 22 yards and six points. From there Chicago’s defense locked down, picking off Minnesota’s quarterbacks two times (a total of three) to secure the win.

It was my idea for a while to just post my notes from this game instead of a structured recap, but I decided I was caring too much about this game and taking WAY too many notes, so I checked out. Here are some of my real-time notes from today’s game. (Edited for capitalization and sometimes punctuation.)

First Quarter

Earl Bennett fumbles, Bears manage not to get to line of scrimmage in the nine minutes it takes Frazier to challenge

I care too much about this game. Want Oreos.

There was a field goal?

Am I supposed to care about a Napoleon dynamite cartoon?

Bell with a forward lateral to Sanford, expert fumbler

Bennett plays DB on awkwardly thrown McCown ball. Smacks Sanford. Solid defense there.

Second Quarter

McCown to Williams in endzone, actually decent drive from Bear offense. How’d Williams get open deep? Last as Bear?

Gerhart tipped pass into hands of Tillman, pick-six baby. Bears up 14-10 how???

Ponder gets drilled by Idonije

Peppers blocks a field goal, glad to see that money hasn’t taken a day off. He still should be sitting.

From there, I tapped out. Probably better that way.

-Brian is just reported to have an MCL sprain. (So a minor tear.) Whew. That looked pretty awful.

-Roy Williams showed up, sorta. I’m pretty he’s gone after this year. Especially if Martz goes.

-My friend Dan and I exchanged thoughts on Jared Allen:

Dan: Every time I see Jared Allen’s face, I want to move to a third world country.

Joe: You mean that mulleted wonder doesn’t do it for you?

Dan: Most sacks for a Viking franchise? Who gives a shit.

Joe: Maybe Vikings fans. Maybe.

Dan: Yeah, play for a better team, shitface.

I know Dan’s fine with me posting these deep thoughts. We’re all thinking it anyway. He’s just saying it out loud. (To me… in a text message.)

You can be happy that the Bears won and made it to .500, sure. But you probably shouldn’t be. Just hope management doesn’t use the “We didn’t have a losing record” and “We had NO idea Caleb Hanie was that terrible” reasoning to not make wholesale changes to the coaching staff. Get ready Bears fans. It’ll be a fun offseason.

That’s the last Chicago Bears Gameday Recap for the season! Thanks for following and reading every weekend! Check back soon for a recap of the Bears’ entire 2011 season and what they need to do going forward.

Bear Down and Happy Jay Cutler Day!