There aren't many Chicago Bears stories that measure up to the TCF Bank Stadium controversy, everything else has a 'story-within-the-story' feel. Which is odd when you consider that this could be the weekend that the Bears win the NFC North division title. A Green Bay Packers loss on Sunday against the New England Patriots, coupled with a Bears victory over the Vikings, would give the Bears their first playoff berth since 2006. Let's hope the playing surface isn't a factor in that story.
Injuries: For the Bears, nothing significant. CB Charles Tillman, was held out with foot problems that so far don't seem serious. RB Chester Taylor was limited due to knee soreness. LB Pisa Tinoisamoa returned to practice on a limited basis, after having a knee scoped two weeks ago.
The Vikings are a very different story. This week they put QB Tarvaris Jackson on injured reserve for the season, because of turf toe. QB Brett Favre has been held out of practice this week, and is not expected to play. Third-string QB Joe Webb has been suffering hamstring problems, but has returned to practice.
Webb has been pressed into action this year as receiver, so his becoming the starter at quarterback means he'll have one less target to throw to.
RB Adrian Peterson was also held out of practice with an ankle injury. We'll find out later in the week how serious that injury is.
Insults: Insults abound this week. Bears safety Chris Harris called the league "a dictatorship" for telling players they have to play at TCF Bank Stadium. The NFL insulted the intelligence of everyone who believed they were concerned about player safety, by telling players thy have to play at TCF Bank Stadium. And thousands and thousands of armchair quarterbacks have taken to the interwebs, to insult players for not wanting to play at TCF Bank Stadium.
The comments sections all over the sporting world are rife with manly men, calling players 'sissies' and 'crybabies', invoking the names of George Halas, Vince Lombardi, etc...Conveniently forgetting that they'll spend the entire game in their bathrobes, contending with nothing colder than a frosty mug.
Extra Points: The Vikings signed Patrick Ramsey as a back-up quarterback. Ramesy has worn more uniforms since 2009 than some players see on the other side of the ball in an entire season. He signed with the Redskins in 2002, then spent some time with the Jets. But since March of 2009, he's been a Bronco, a Titan, a Lion, a Saint, a Jaguar, a Dolphin, and now a Viking.
His workout regimen must consist primarily of packing and unpacking suitcases.
Would you like to watch the snow removal efforts at TCF Bank Stadium, as they happen? Here's the link.
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