Minnesota Vikings: Braving the Elements Of TCF Bank Stadium

Players are protesting tonight's Monday Night Football Game between the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings.  Chris Kluwe claimed on his Twitter account that the field was "unplayable" for tonight's game.  Kluwe went on to say that the playing surface was "as hard as concrete."  Then again, so was Veterans Stadium for about 30 years.  

Minnesota officials may have made a mistake on this decision but they can't reverse it now.  With injuries a lingering possibility (as it always is in an NFL game), the Bears and Vikings will take the field on tonight.  If the players are unwilling to partake in the game because of conditions, then they shouldn't be playing.  The NFL and football in general is meant to be played in the elements.

To be quite honest, I don't think any team should play in a dome, no matter what their climate.

So much for my own personal rant there, but really it's true and many people feel that way.  These guys are getting paid a whole lot of money to be out there and should prepare for such conditions accordingly.  In general, football is a violent game already, this only adds to it.  

There is expected to be about five to six inches of snowfall prior to kickoff.  This will only enhance slick conditions but still likely won't be a " train wreck" as Kluwe said it would be.  Since Kluwe's comments on Twitter, the NFL has asked for players to stop "tweeting" about the game and the field conditions. 

To prepare for this game, the Bears simulated a game (with playing conditions in mind) at Northwestern University on Saturday morning.  

This will certainly be a nasty football game.  Almost something out of the 50s or 60s.  If you enjoy hard, smash-mouth football, the way it's intended, then tune-in tonight at 8:30 on ESPN.  

Expect running backs to see a bulk of the workload tonight.  For Minnesota, especially too with Joe Webb in making his first start.  This could mean that Adrian Peterson will see a lot of touches tonight.  It could even make for a showdown between Peterson and Brian Urlacher of the Bears. 

This certainly will be one of the most unique games in recent memory.  It should also be one of the highest-rated MNF games ever.