Efforts to repair the torn Metrodome roof, which collapsed Sunday under the weight of heavy snow, continued Monday with workers arriving from upstate New York, where they know about snow, to assess the damage. It’s still uncertain late Monday night where the Bears vs. Vikings game, scheduled for next Monday night, Dec. 20, will be played.
The Sun-Times reported late Monday afternoon that the teams hoped to know by late tonight, but that decision has not yet been made. A final decision would have to be made fairly soon, so that both teams can prepare for either an indoor game at the Metrodome or an outdoor game at TCF Bank Stadium.
The Vikings, who lost to the Giants 21-3 in their game Monday night that was moved to Ford Field in Detroit, will not move another game. Vikings officials would not likely allow another home game to be moved out of Minnesota. The Bears, on the other hand, probably have had enough of playing in snow and cold after their pathetic loss to the Patriots on Sunday.
The Bears do have this advantage, no matter where the game is played: they’ll know by game time whether they can win the NFC North with a victory. If the Giants beat the Packers next Sunday, the Bears would clinch the division title — and likely a first-round bye — by defeating the Vikings Monday night.
At that point, it probably wouldn’t matter much to the Bears where they’re playing. If you can’t get fired up for that scenario, you shouldn’t be playing football. We hope to have a decision on the location of the game by sometime Tuesday.