Viktor
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
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STAT OF THE WEEK
The seven run plays of 20 or more yards by the Vikings are tied for third-most through three weeks of any NFL season since 1991.
NORSEMAN NOTES
The Vikings claimed their 500th victory on Sunday against Oakland (regular-season and postseason games included), improving to 500-427-11.
Mike Zimmer is 16-14-1 against NFC North teams as the Vikings head coach and is 6-4 against Chicago.
The Vikings haven’t allowed any points in the third quarter of any game this season. The Bears rank second in the NFL, having allowed just six combined points in third quarters this season.
Danielle Hunter is tied for second in the NFL with five tackles for loss.
Harrison Smith and Bills safety Jordan Poyer are the only two players in the NFL who have recorded at least 15 tackles, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble and one interception in 2019. Smith recorded his 21st career interception on Sunday, tying Antoine Winfield for ninth in Vikings history.
Minnesota’s 103 rush attempts through three games rank third this season and are the most by a Vikings team since 1988 (109).
Dalvin Cook has surpassed 100 yards from scrimmage in five of six games with Offensive Coordinator Kevin Stefanski calling plays.
Kyle Rudolph has 390 career receptions and needs four to pass receiver Sammy White for seventh in team history.
VIKINGS-BEARS CONNNECTIONS
Bears return specialist/receiver Cordarrelle Patterson played for the Vikings from 2013-16.
LOCAL CONNECTIONS
Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer is from Peoria, Illinois, and played collegiately at Illinois State.
Vikings WR Laquon Treadwell, who was re-signed this week, is from Crete, Illinois.
COACHING CONNECTIONS
Vikings assistant special teams coach Ryan Ficken played at Arizona State when Bears Offensive Coordinator Mark Helfrich was quarterbacks coach in 2001.
Vikings Special Teams Coordinator Marwan Maalouf worked in the same role at Indianapolis in 2012 when Bears Defensive Coordinator Chuck Pagano was head coach of the Colts. They also worked together in Baltimore from 2008-11.
Maalouf, running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu (2004), Defensive Coordinator George Edwards (2004) and defensive line coach Andre Patterson (2003-04) overlapped with Pagano (2001-04) in Cleveland. Polamalu played at USC (1982-85), overlapping with Pagano’s time as a graduate assistant.
Vikings receivers coach Drew Petzing worked as an operations intern for the Browns in 2013 when Chicago Special Teams Coordinator Chris Tabor was with Cleveland.
PROFESSIONAL CONNECTIONS
Vikings Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Advisor Gary Kubiak, offensive line coach and run game coordinator Rick Dennison and tight ends coach Brian Pariani were on the Ravens staff in 2014 when LS Patrick Scales was with Baltimore.
Minnesota Special Teams Coordinator Marwan Maalouf and Bears TE Bradley Sowell overlapped in Indianapolis in 2012.
Vikings P Britton Colquitt (2016-17) played for Bears Special Teams Coordinator Chris Tabor for two seasons in Cleveland. Colquitt teamed with Bears LB Danny Trevathan in Denver when Kubiak, Pariani and Dennison were on the Broncos staff.
Minnesota C Brett Jones (2015-17) and Linval Joseph (2010-13) played with Bears DB Prince Amukamara (2011-15) for the Giants.
Vikings T Rashod Hill, Amukamara and Bears Allen Robinson II were teammates in Jacksonville in 2016.
Minnesota DT Shamar Stephen teamed with Chicago RB Mike Davis in Seattle last season.
Vikings G Josh Kline and Bears DT Akiem Hicks teamed together in New England in 2015.
Minnesota RB Ameer Abdullah (2015-18) and T Riley Reiff (2012-16) were teammates of Cornelius Lucas (2014-16) in Detroit.
Vikings QB Sean Mannion (2015-18) was a teammate of Lucas (2017) and Bears DT Nick Williams (2018) with the Rams.
Minnesota G Dakota Dozier teamed with Chicago LB Kevin Pierre-Louis and DB Buster Skrine on the 2018 Jets.
COLLEGE CONNECTIONS
Minnesota RB Dalvin Cook and CB Xavier Rhodes and Chicago NT Eddie Goldman at Florida State
Vikings DT Jaleel Johnson and Bears OL James Daniels at Iowa
Minnesota C Brett Jones and Bears DT Akiem Hicks at Regina (Canada)
Vikings T Brian O’Neill and Bears TE J.P. Holtz at Pittsburgh
Minnesota TE Irv Smith, Jr., and Chicago S Eddie Jackson at Alabama
Vikings DE Tashawn Bower and Bears DB Kevin Toliver II at LSU
Minnesota CB Mike Hughes and Chicago QB Mitchell Trubisky at North Carolina before Hughes transferred to UCF
Vikings WR Stefon Diggs and Bears LB Josh Woods at Maryland
VIKINGS TOP PERFORMERS VS. BEARS
Kirk Cousins: 4 games (2-0 with Washington, 0-2 with Minnesota), 92-of-139 passing, 66.2 completion percentage, 964 passing yards, 5 passing TDs, 3 interceptions, 89.1 passer rating; 11 carries for 55 yards and 3 TDs
Kyle Rudolph: 15 games, 46 receptions, 403 yards, 4 TDs
Stefon Diggs: 7 games, 45 receptions, 468 yards, 7 TDs (he has at least one touchdown in six of seven games against the Bears)
Adam Thielen: 10 games, 28 receptions, 314 yards, 1 TD
Anthony Harris: 5 games, 26 tackles (league stats), 2 INTs, FR, 4 PBU
Harrison Smith: 12 games, 66 tackles (league stats), 4 INTs, FR, INT return TD