Chicago Bears Vs. Minnesota Vikings: The Sack Men Cometh and Other News, Notes

You remember the refrain, Bears fans, don't you? Hell, it's only been 25 years. C'mon, sing with me:

"The sackman's comin', I'm your man Dent.
if the quarterback's slow,
He's gonna get bent."

Alright, maybe this isn't the second coming of Richard Dent, but two possible Hall of Fame defensive ends will play on Soldier Field Sunday as the Bears host the Vikings in a must-win for both teams.

On the Vikings side there is Jared Allen, and on the Bears end stands Julius Peppers. Between them they have only five-and-a-half sacks on the season, a far cry from previous numbers.

But both have a chance to improve on their numbers in Sunday's game, a terrifying thought for the offenses that have to line up against them.

Meanwhile, Chester Taylor faces the team he used to play for on Sunday, and he is looking forward to making them regret the decision to let him go.

So let's take a look at this and other tidbits as the game draws closer.

"We stop the run, we stop the pass,
I like to dump guys on their -."

Julius Peppers Vs. Bryant McKinnie

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

CHICAGO - OCTOBER 24: Julius Peppers #90 of the Chicago Bears rushes toward Dovonan McNabb #5 of the Washington Redskins at Soldier Field on October 24, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Redskins defeated the Bears 17-14. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Imag

The two have a history, one that McKinnie would like to forget.

Sunday's game could be Julius Pepper's best chance of the season to dominate and start to get his sack total up to respectable levels. His pending matchup with Vikings left tackle Bryant McKinnie could mirror last season's matchup when Peppers played for Carolina, Peppers had his way with McKinnie as the Panthers smashed the Vikings 26-7. Peppers was always on the back of QB Brett Favre.

Peppers has played well, but with only two sacks, he is not one of the five best defensive ends in football right now—yet is the highest paid. Despite the lack of sacks, he has a team-high 12 quarterback pressures, an interception and three pass breakups, in addition to two forced fumbles.

Against the Vikings on Sunday, he might just make Favre wish he had finally retired for good. 

Frank Omiyale Vs. Jared Allen

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS - NOVEMBER 07: Defensive end Jared Allen #69 of the Minnesota Vikings sacks quarterback Derek Anderson #3 of the Arizona Cardinals at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on November 7, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings won 27-24 in overti

The Bears have their own handful when facing the Vikings' Jared Allen. Allen had two-and-a-half sacks and four total tackles in Sunday's win over Arizona, a sign his game might be getting back to its usual lofty level.

Jared Allen entered the season with an NFL-leading 72 sacks since 2004. He is a high-motor edge-rusher who gets a lot of his production on second and third efforts. Omiyale will have his hands full—he can't let up for a second in this contest.

Omiyale has quietly been playing fairly well of late, but the Bears better get him some help—a tight end for example—or Allen could eat him up.

Chester Taylor Would Like to Stick it to His Former Team

Rick Stewart/Getty Images

TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 07: Chester Taylor #29 of the Chicago Bears runs against the Buffalo Bills at Rogers Centre on November 7, 2010 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

Taylor finally scored his first TD of the season last week on a one-yard run, but he had just 13 yards on 10 carries and on 54 carries this season has only 173 yards, a 3.2 yard average, although he has been used frequently in short-yardage situations.

What better motivation for Taylor than facing his old team, although it won't be an easy challenge, as ESPN's Jeff Dickerson points out.

"Minnesota comes into Sunday ranked No. 7 in rushing defense (96.3 yards per game), thanks in large part to defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams, long regarded as two of the best run-stopping interior defensive linemen in the NFL."

Meanwhile, Brett Favre said that Taylor was underutilized in Minnesota last year, and he seems to be the forgotten man again this season with the Bears.

"That's a good compliment, coming from him," Taylor said Wednesday. "I mean, he's a future Hall-of-Famer, and just knowing that he knew I could have gotten the job done. That's a big compliment for me."

Dickerson reports that Taylor knows this is more than just a game.

"I wish I could have a break-out every week," Taylor said. "But to have it against the team I played for the last four years would be even better. "

"It's another game, but the only difference is I know way more people, and I was there the last four years. So I'm looking forward to playing against them, and I'm pretty sure there's going to be a lot of trash talking between me and Pat [Williams]."

Vikings Players Hate Their Head Coach

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS - NOVEMBER 07: Head coach Brad Childress of the Minnesota Vikings stands on the sideline during the game with the Arizona Cardinals at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on November 7, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings won 27-24 in overti

ESPN reports that several Vikings players anonymously said they dislike playing for Brad Childress, who is on thin ice with his owner in Minnesota.

"We know that [Brad] Childress doesn't have our backs, so why should we have his?" one player told the Chicago Sun-Times. "We're playing for us, and we're winning despite him."

Childress, according to the Sun-Times, has criticized players and questioned effort. "He has absolutely no people skills," one team source said.

Six Vikings players told the Sun-Times they would like Childress to be fired, but they won't give up on their teammates.

Hey, this Bears fan says it's quite alright to give up this Sunday. Not a problem, guys, really.

Sidney Rice is Expected to Play

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS - JANUARY 17: Wide receiver Sidney Rice #18 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on after scoring a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys during the NFC Divisional Playoff Game at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on January 17, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minn

You can expect that Vikings receiver Sidney Rice will play Sunday against the Bears. According to ESPN, "Rice, who has been sidelined since undergoing hip surgery in August, returned to practice last week but was inactive against the Arizona Cardinals. He will officially be a game-time decision, according to Vikings coach Brad Childress."

Rice is an important cog to the Vikings offense if he is healthy and in game condition. He ranked fourth in the NFL in receiving yards last season.

Vikings coach Brad Childress said he didn't expect Rice to be ready to go head first into the lineup even if he is ready to play. "I don't think it's realistic to think that he can come right in and go 60 or 70 plays right away," Childress said to ESPN.

But Percy Harvin Has Another Migraine

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS - NOVEMBER 07: Wide receiver Percy Harvin #12 of the Minnesota Vikings gets ready for the game with the Arizona Cardinals at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on November 7, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

So perhaps Rice will play, but what about Percy Harvin? While he was a headache for the Cardinals last week, finishing with a career-high nine catches for 126 yards in the overtime win, the only headache that matters right now is the one he's experiencing.

Harvin was not at practice on Thursday. He was diagnosed with sleep apnea and has to sleep with a CPAP machine, and his migraines have been far less often than before. But who knows if Harvin, who was already playing with a sprained ankle against Arizona, will be okay come game time.

I guess migraines don't normally last that long, so he will likely play. But it would be fine with the Bears if he decided to skip Sunday's game.