vikings/nfl

Julius Peppers was there for the taking and the Vikings didn't take him. Why? Someone explain that to me.

Are you kidding me? Stats aside, look at who the bears have defeated to get their record.They barely defeated Detroit before their surge.And in that game Detroit beat themselves.Chicago doesn't show me anything the Vikings can't handle.

The 2012 Bears have given up 133 points in 9 regular season games? That's really good but the 1969 Vikings gave up 133 points through a 14 game regular season. That old Vikes team had given up 24 points to start the season against the New York Giants and then never gave up any more than 14 points to any team for the rest of that regular season. That Vikings defense was definitely the best pursuit defense ever. What they struggled with in their Super Bowls is what they would struggle with today. The offensive linemen became monsters and that hurt the Vikes who just didn't have the bulk up front but if you ever watched Jim Marshall, Alan Page, and Carl Eller play together you would have to give them strong consideration as the strongest defense of their era. Those 3 players ran down everyone in the opposing backfields. Don't forget that the 85 Bears played the blitzing and gambling 46 defense that couldn't hold up to the West Coast offense that became popular. They were good in large part because of Buddy Ryans blitzing schemes. Those old Vikes teams didn't have to blitz.

The 2012 Bears' defense is highly respected, as well it should be. The 1985 Bears' defense was highly respected and FEARED. Watch the tape and see the hits, the look on an opposing QB's face, the offensive linemen looking like lost sheep, people like Eric Dickerson and Tony Dorsett getting not just tackled but mauled. That's the difference. No defense, not this year's Bears, not the 70's purple people eaters, not the fearsome foursome, nor the 2000 Ravens, can hold a candle to that unit. I'm a Vikes' fan, and I approve this message.

The 85 Bears had those types of players that were able to use their hard hitting strengths but it was due to Buddy Ryans fearlessness in developing a system that just turned everyone loose on the oppositions backfield. It worked in 1985 because there wasn't an answer to it. The quick passing West Coast offense ended the success of the 46 defense where the Bears would sometimes bring 7 people at the quarterback. There was a lot of fear in the oppositions backfields back then because no one had an answer to the blitzing. That Bears defense brought the Bears to one Super Bowl where the Patriots also got mauled and then teams started to figure the Bears out. If there was an easy answer for the old purple defenses they wouldn't have gotten to four Super Bowls.

IN the Bears vs. Vikings match up next week there will be one difference: the Vikes have Walter Payton (AP)

This has to be one of the best Comment sections I've read in some time! We're all enjoying/respecting those outstanding teams of the past, and best, some vintage Purple People Eaters memories!! Love to see all the thumbs-up too. That all being said, I agree with Robb123 in that I don't necessarily think we're guaranteed a loss - - if we can play Ponder mistake-free football AND like wabene says, we have the 2012 version of Payton, we might just catch the pundits by surprise! SKOL!

Yeah, they sure were the Monsters of the Midway against the 49ers tonight...