The View From Section 123
Inside the Metrodome, it’s the view from Section 123 — old baseball press box — corner view from where the brainiest of experts will follow the Vikings against Chicago on a snowy Sunday.
As of 11:15 a.m.: Here’s that spectacular corner view:
Outside, Vikings fans are doing their best to get liquored up as instructed by Chad Greenway:
And they are extremely comfortable, wearing their Zubaz best:
Which sets us up for today’s game: Vikings vs. Bears. Tons at stake, especially for Minnesota starting quarterback Christian Ponder.
Right now, we’ll put our PONDER-O-METER at 5 (on a scale of 1-10), and we’ll adjust accordingly as the afternoon progresses. Why 5? It’s based on a week of whining by Vikings fans who want the second-year starter run out of town. (Vikings fans that will be eager to cheer Mr. P if ANYTHING good happens.)
11:35 a.m: The very funny Jim Souhan checks in with this Tweet:
Which comes first today at Metrodome? First Ponder interception or roof collapsing? #drama
— Jim Souhan (@SouhanStrib) December 9, 2012
11:46: Hearing that Bears kicker Robbie Gould may not be in the lineup, according to KFAN-FM 100.3.
11:51: St. John’s legend John Gagliardi blows horn. Don’t be surprised if Vikings fans ask him to coach and quarterback Purple if things go south early.
11:54: After Zeppelin plays, Vikings offense introduced this week. Some boos sprinkled in his intro, but crowd goes big for AP. PONDER-O-METER still at 5.
12:02: Game starts, with 6-6 Vikings winning toss and getting the ball first. Punter Adam Podlesh in for the injured Gould.
12:04: Adrian Peterson rips one off for 51-yard gain. Wow!
12:07: VIKINGS 7, BEARS 0 — Adrian Peterson punches it in from the one-yard-line. Awesome.
12:08: On that drive, AP had five carries for 69 yards and a touchdown. Pete Bercich on KFAN 1oo.3 FM: “We are shoving Adrian Peterson right down their throats.”
12:17: Josh Robinson interception at the Bears’ 49. He steps out at the 5-yard-line — 44-yard return. Vikings in business again.
12:21: VIKINGS 14, BEARS 0 — Adrian punches it in again from the 2-yard-line.
12:24:PONDER-O-METER at 6. Why? He’s handing the ball to Adrian Peterson, who has 74 yards and two touchdowns midway through the first quarter:
Adrian Peterson is off to the kind of start that says "Forget the QBs, I'm the MVP." And he just might be… #Vikings
— Mike Greenberg (@Espngreeny) December 9, 2012
12:34: Jerome Simpson catches a pass for a first down in the first quarter, 13-yards total. Shepherds report seeing huge star in north.
12:43: Without Gould, Bears forced to punt while on Vikings 40-yard-line. Gould out with left calf strain. Had Gould not been injured, Bears would have probably gone for a FG there.
12:45: Adrian Peterson finished first quarter with 104 yards, a team record.
12:52: Chris Kluwe channels Fred Cox, does a corner-kick punt, and the Bears take over on their own three.
12:59: Everson Griffen sacks Cutler, setting up a Bears 3rd and 24, which they can’t convert. Vikes get ball back.
1:04: Jarius Wright — Percy Harvin’s replacement — catches a pass from Ponder for a first down. Wright, as he tells www.MunnesotaScore.com, is ready for the Bears.
1:09: Ponder can’t convert on 3rd and long. Scattered boos for the QB, but with a 14-0 lead, the PONDER-O-METER stays at 6.
1:17: Olympian Lindsay Whalen checks in:
Watching the vikes! #skol
— Lindsay Whalen (@Lindsay_13) December 9, 2012
1:20: VIKINGS 14, BEARS 7 — Cutler to Alshon Jeffrey as Bears get on board.
1:22: Jerome Felton fumbles kickoff, Christian Ballad recovers. Vikes dodge huge bullet before the half.
1:27: Ponder goes deep, gets intercepted at the Bears 20. Loud chorus of boos as the PONDER-O-METER drops to 5.
1:29: On Twitter, just an example of the disappointment:
https://twitter.com/Rogerwhutwhut/status/277859119686352896
1:53: Ponder, facing a 3rd and 11 on the Vikes’ first possession of the third quarter — and — incomplete to Michael Jenkins. No real hostile booing, but dome somewhat deflated after that electric first quarter from AP. A.J. Mansour from KFAN agrees:
The #Vikings are still winning this game 14-7, but it sure doesn't feel like it here at MOA Field.
— Aj Mansour (@AjKFAN) December 9, 2012
2:04: Third and 17 for Ponder, and he gets a few yards back. Time to punt. Crowd getting surlier and surlier.
2:08: PONDER-O-METER down to 4:
Is it time for Joe Webb? Well, yes, a week after it was really time for Joe Webb, it is again time for Joe Webb. #TimeforWebb
— Jim Souhan (@SouhanStrib) December 9, 2012
2:10: VIKINGS 21, BEARS 7 — Harrison Smith pick six. The rookie takes it back 56 yards for his second TD of the year.
2:15: Bears driving, but stall on big 3rd and 15 from Vikings’ 39 yard line, as Cutler is almost sacked by Harrison Smith.
2:19: Bears pin down Vikes at the 1-yard-line after the punt.
2:25: So far for AP: 27 carries — a season high — for 150 yards.
2:35: Kluwe pins Bears back to their 4-yard-line with huge punt. 8:40 to go.
2:42: Play of game. 3rd and 10 for Bears at Vikings 39. Cutler completes shovel pass for 7 yards. Bears forced to go for it on 4th down.
2:43: OK, this is the play of the game. Cutler hits Brandon Marshall for the first down.
2:45: OK, this is the play of the game. On 4th and 6 on the Vikings 23, incomplete. Minnesota takes over on downs. This one seems over. Vikes up 21-7 with 4:27 left:
“@ian_leonard: @WCCORosen ponder should buy the defense a nice dinner tonight” He should shovel all their driveways!
— Mark Rosen (@KFANRosen) December 9, 2012
3:07: VIKINGS 21, BEARS 14 — Jason Campbell to Brandon Marshall from 15 yards out.
3:08: With no time outs left, and 1:48 on the clock, the Bears try an onside kick –but the Vikes recover. Victory formation.
3:09: FINAL: VIKINGS 21, BEARS 14
