Bears vs. Vikings: What Are Experts Saying About Minnesota?

The Minnesota Vikings (6-9) and Chicago Bears (5-10) will conclude the NFL regular season with a head-to-head divisional matchup this Sunday at TCF Bank Stadium. In one of Minnesota's worst offensive performances of the season, the Bears defeated the Vikings by a final score of 21-13 back in Week 11.

As one can easily infer by each team's win-loss record, neither Minnesota nor Chicago will be involved in the NFL playoffs this season.

While both teams have nothing tangible to play for this season, there are still players on both rosters who have something to prove this weekend. In addition, Bears head coach Marc Trestman may be coaching for his job, and followers of the Vikings have come to understand how much Mike Zimmer hates losing, regardless of circumstance.

Naturally, the holiday season has put a slight damper on the amount of news and input circulating around the Vikings this week, but there is still plenty of information to examine before the Vikings conclude their season against the Bears this weekend.

Between Jared Allen returning to Minnesota for the first time, head-turning roster moves and Teddy Bridgewater's interesting style of practice, Vikings experts surely didn't slack off too much this week.

Let's take a look at what they had to say about the Vikings this week.

Damien Woody, Antonio Pierce: Predicting Matchup Winner

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If you have been following my "What are Experts Saying About Minnesota?" articles throughout the season, you know I like to begin each slideshow with predictions from the NFL Live crew—assuming a segment was available for the given week.

This week is no different. Per usual, host Trey Wingo and a couple of former Pro Bowlers made game predictions for the Vikings' Week 17 contest in a short, 39-second segment that can be viewed on ESPN.com.

However, there were a couple of new faces predicting the outcome of the Vikings' matchup. Former New York Jets, Detroit Lions and New England Patriots offensive lineman Damien Woody—whom I had a difficult time recognizing—and former Washington Redskins and New York Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce were the duo in charge this week.

Similar to many other editions of the NFL Live game prediction show, Wingo led off the segment with a snarky comment about the Bears' season before Woody hopped in with his prediction:

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I'm going with the Minnesota Vikings. I think you just, you gotta be really impressed with coach [Mike] Zimmer up there in Minnesota; he's got the boys playing tough. I think they finish out the season with a bang.

"

While Woody doesn't exactly offer any critical analysis or reasoning for his prediction, it's hard to argue with the one point he made.

Zimmer has done a great job in Minnesota this season—even though Minnesota's subpar 6-9 record to date doesn't show it. In just one season, he has dramatically improved the Vikings defense and instilled a winning attitude in a group that looked lazy and defeated by the end of the 2013 season.

Although there is only a slight chance Zimmer will even receive votes for NFL Coach of the Year—the last coach to win the award with a losing record was Jimmy Johnson in 1990—his impressive rookie season deserves recognition.

Pierce, on the other hand, predicted in favor of Jay Cutler and the Bears:

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Jay Cutler, man. He's gotta have some pride here. I think he goes out with some pride here and he gets the win for Chicago. Hopefully he keeps more money in that bank account so they don't trade him or do anything silly with him this offseason.

"

While I do favor Woody's game prediction, I can't argue with Pierce on his thought process.

Cutler, who was benched in favor of Jimmy Clausen last week, has been working his way out of Chicago all season long. Expectations were high at the beginning of the season for Cutler and the Bears—with some analysts suggesting the quarterback was a potential MVP candidate—but he certainly has not delivered, to say the least.

If Cutler is interested in remaining a Bear after this season—there has been plenty of speculation surrounding the idea of Chicago moving on from him after this season—he will have to show upper management, his teammates and the city of Chicago he is still worthy of being their starting quarterback.

My Score Prediction: Vikings 31, Bears 24

The basis of my reasoning is actually very simple: Minnesota has consistently improved throughout the season, while Chicago has seemingly looked more and more dysfunctional every week.

I had Minnesota pegged as a 7-9 team at the beginning of this season, and I'm not willing to bet against this coming to fruition with only an utterly defeated Bears team standing in the Vikings' way.

Matt Vensel: Vikings Waive Ben Tate, Sign Henry Josey

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The Vikings claimed running back Ben Tate off of waivers from the Cleveland Browns back in mid-November, and now, roughly a month later, he is gone.

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It is true that Ben Tate has been waived. Daily transaction wire just came through. #Vikings

— Matt Vensel (@mattvensel) December 23, 2014"

With Tate gone, the Vikings had another roster decision to make. Matt Vensel discussed Minnesota's corresponding roster move and a few other things in a recent article for the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Back in September, Minnesota signed wide receiver Charles Johnson off the Browns practice squad to fill a roster spot vacated by another Vikings running back. The team will hope for similar success from its most recent practice squad signing, former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Henry Josey.

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It's official now. RT @Vikings: The #Vikings have signed RB Henry Josey.

— Matt Vensel (@mattvensel) December 24, 2014"

Josey, who played his college football at Missouri, will join running backs Matt Asiata and Joe Banyard on the Vikings active roster this week. He had a productive college career, despite sustaining a major knee injury back in 2011.

Arif Hasan of Vikings Territory gives a little insight into the gruesomeness of Josey's injury and how he has rebounded since:

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Josey's story is fascinating. Tore almost everything you can tear in a knee. Came back w/ an incredible season (and a 4.39-4.43 40 showing)

— Arif Hasan (@ArifHasanNFL) December 24, 2014"

While Josey is a bit of a long shot, Zimmer and the Vikings are aware his abilities could translate to success at the NFL level.

"We liked him coming out of college," Zimmer said. "We felt like he was one of the better running backs on a practice squad that we could [bring] in, take a look at, see his skill level and kind of go from there."

It is unlikely Josey makes an appearance this weekend against the Bears, but it will be interesting to see what the Vikings do with him moving forward.

If he can show the Minnesota coaches something during practice this week, it remains entirely possible he could become a contributor for the team next season.

Mike Wobschall: Jared Allen Returns to Minnesota

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Even if the rest of his Bears teammates don't show up this Sunday, you can certainly bet that Jared Allen will.

Mike Wobschall outlines the Allen storyline and a few others in his recent article for Vikings.com.

While Allen has already faced the Vikings this season, recording one of his 5.5 sacks in the process, Sunday will be his first time playing in Minnesota since signing with the rival Bears.

Allen, who spent six successful seasons with the Vikings from 2008 to 2013, signed a four-year, $32 million contract with the Bears this past offseason.

Wobschall gave a brief analysis of just how important Allen was for the Vikings during his tenure in Minnesota:

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Allen, who was acquired via trade by the Vikings in 2008 and played six seasons in Minnesota, had 85.5 sacks during his Vikings career and was named to the 50 Greatest Vikings team in 2010. The Vikings earned three playoff appearances and won two division titles with Allen as a stalwart on defenses that were dominant at times against the run and always a threat to turn a game upside down because of quarterback pressure.

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Many expected Allen to move on from the Vikings after the conclusion of the 2013 season, but few thought he would stay within the NFC North division. Naturally, his signing with the Bears rubbed some fans the wrong way, even if that wasn't his intention.

Similar to many others, I would have preferred that Allen choose a team outside of the NFC North—maybe follow some of his former teammates to the Seattle Seahawks, for example. However, I surely haven't forgotten what he was able to accomplish in a Vikings uniform and how critical his presence was to Minnesota's success over his six seasons.

If nothing else, he certainly played a role in the development of Everson Griffen, as Griffen noted during a press conference earlier this season.

There will definitely be some fans booing Allen on Sunday—especially if he has a reason to unveil his trademark sack celebration—but hopefully most fans will remember the great memories he created while wearing purple and gold.

Chris Tomasson: Captain Munnerlyn Looking to Finish Season Strong

Jim Mone/Associated Press

When the Vikings signed Captain Munnerlyn to a multiyear contract this past offseason, there was an expectation he would play an instrumental role in improving the team's lackluster pass defense. Minnesota's pass defense has improved this season, but Munnerlyn hasn't exactly performed up to standard, to say the least.

While he would like to remain a Viking next season, the former Carolina Panthers cornerback is aware his performance this season may make doing so an issue, as Chris Tomasson discusses in a recent article published by the Saint Paul Pioneer Press.

Munnerlyn has one game left this season, and he intends to show he is still the player the Vikings signed this past offseason and not the one who has struggled consistently this season.

"Just to leave the good taste in the coaches' mouth," Munnerlyn said. "I haven't been playing my best football this year; I don't think so at all. So I'm honest with myself. I know I've got to play better if I want to be here."

According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Munnerlyn was the 10th-highest-graded cornerback in 2013, but his substandard performance this season has result in him being tied for 50th overall.

As a member of the Panthers, Munnerlyn excelled as a playmaker—especially when lined up as a slot cornerback. This season, however, has been much different, as he has allowed opposing quarterbacks to register a 105.4 quarterback rating against him when he is lined up in slot coverage, per Pro Football Focus.

Munnerlyn did sign a three-year contract with Minnesota last season, but the Vikings could release him after this season and only receive a $1 million salary-cap hit in dead money over the next two seasons, as Tomasson notes. As a result, the Vikings could cut ties with the fiery 5'9" cornerback without receiving too much of a cap penalty.

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If it happens, I'll be a little upset at myself because I didn't come out and show what I'm capable of doing. I was playing a little safe this year, not taking the chances that I'm used to. ... I've got to let them know, "Hey, man, let's take another chance on this guy."

"

While it seems unlikely the Vikings would cut Munnerlyn after just one season—especially before training camp next season—no roster spot is safe in the NFL.

"I'll be OK," he said. "I'm a fighter. Everybody knows that if anybody can get out of this, it'll be me. ... I feel like I'm a good player. I just didn't have one of them years. I feel like every athlete goes through something like this."

Munnerlyn's talent may have been doubted coming out of college—he wasn't selected until the seventh round of the 2009 draft—but he has proved to be more than capable of having success at the NFL level. As a member of the Panthers, Munnerlyn intercepted seven passes and recorded five defensive touchdowns, establishing himself as a dangerous playmaker on defense.

Hopefully he proves he is more than just a passionate leader of the Vikings defense this weekend and the Minnesota coaching staff has no choice but to give him a second chance next season.

Brian Hall: ‘Odd Ball Thursdays’ Help Teddy Bridgewater’s Pocket Presence

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

The first season of the Teddy Bridgewater era will come to a close this weekend, leaving plenty of fans optimistic about the future.

Minnesota's 22-year-old rookie quarterback has worked his tail off this season, showing week-to-week development and leading many to believe the Vikings have finally found their first franchise quarterback since Daunte Culpepper.

While Bridgewater certainly practices similarly to other quarterbacks in most respects, he also has a few interesting work habits, which Brian Hall elaborates on in a recent article for Fox Sports.

As noted by Hall, Bridgewater was seen dipping balls in water before throwing passes after practice earlier this season. When he was asked about the strange exercise, Bridgewater replied that he was continuing a collegiate habit that he coined as "Wet Ball Wednesdays."

However, dipping balls into water isn't the only out-of-the-ordinary practice method in Bridgewater's repertoire:

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Bridgewater also said he likes to practice "Odd Ball Thursdays" in which he practices disrupted throws; maybe throws off his back foot, throws where his feet aren't set, if he's facing pressure from a certain angle or possibly different arm angles to prepare for the unexpected.

"

Well, that certainly explains why he has looked so composed when facing pressure in the pocket throughout this season.

According to Hall, Bridgewater says he created the habit based on film he watched of top quarterbacks Philip Rivers, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers.

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You watch Philip Rivers, he's one of the best in the game at playing the position in an uncomfortable pocket. He's able to make throws off-balance and things like that. You watch him make those throws and it just tells you that, no play is going to be perfect. No pocket is going to be perfect when you're sitting back there. 

So just being able to just make the throws and make the hard throws, or make the off-balance throws that's what it's going to take, whether it's moving the sticks and getting a first down or like Sunday, completing a pass to Greg (Jennings) for a touchdown.

"

It's certainly an interesting habit, but the idea behind it makes quite a bit of sense—especially for a quarterback who faces pressure as often as Bridgewater does. According to Pro Football Focus, he has thrown 377 passes this season. He has faced pressure on 125 of these attempts, which amounts to roughly 33 percent of the time.

We have seen Bridgewater handle this consistent pressure in a number of ways this season. Similar to every other quarterback, he sometimes will opt to chalk the play up as a loss, throw the ball away and live to see another down.

However, he much more frequently will attempt to make a play under pressure, using his legs to extend the play and his vision to find a suitable target. Naturally, this target may appear at a time when his feet aren't completely set, forcing the need for an "odd ball" pass attempt.

As Bridgewater said himself, not every play is going to be perfect. Even Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who plays behind arguably the best offensive line in football, has been pressured on 93 of his 401 pass attempts this season, per Pro Football Focus.

The best quarterbacks can make all the throws under any circumstances. Based on what we have seen this season, especially in recent weeks, it sure seems like Bridgewater is well on his way to becoming a very good quarterback.