It won't be pretty at U.S. Bank if the Bears win

Yeah, this has the makings of a real shit show...I've got next to zero interest in watching...

I let one of my season tix partners use my tix to take his kid to the Bears game. As a fan I have ZERO interest in this week and I think Zimmer is going to rest a lot of players too. 

Maybe they'll get hot in the post-season? 

Fan has to hope....

I'll still watch because I always watch.  However, don't really care if they win or lose especially if the starters aren't playing.

There is nothing at stake here, rest the starters

@"Bullazin" said: There is nothing at stake here, rest the starters

@"purplefaithful" said:

Fan has to hope....

Last weeks game rendered this one meaningless, and perhaps the post season as well.
They asked Cousins if he was going to play this week and he said he wasn't sure. Well I'm sure he didn't play last week, so what's the difference?
It's difficult to care about anything Vikings after last weeks massive let down.

The 1 and 2 seed in the NFC (obviously) get a bye. Teams scratch and claw all season to earn those spots. In recent years a spotlight began to emerge on that bye as lower seeded away teams found ways to beat the "better team" on the road. Did the bye week cause rustiness or put those teams at a competitive disadvantage? That was the question. As we've gone along, our solution to how ridiculous that reality is seems to have been to move the spotlight onto Home Field Advantage. You can't deny the advantage that brings...

Washing away the stink from last week (or ignoring it for a moment), the Vikes are in a unique position right now.

Nobody has earned the 1 or 2 seed quite yet. That's a pretty big deal for a competitive (when they show up) 6 seed about to make and take their own 1st round bye. There are 4 teams ( 2 head to head!) who are playing to NOT be a 3 seed this week. They are going to beat the shit out of each other for those spots while we rest... The 3 seed will have that home field advantage but they'll also be about as beaten down as a 5 or 6 seed would be in the 2nd round of the playoffs against a fresh team.

I’m not convinced this team would beat Chicago, even if we didn’t rest our starters, sigh...

It feels like preseason all over again.

This game will have a pre season feel as it really doesn't mean anything.  Losing actually could possibly help our draft position one or two spots, other than that the only thing on the line is getting through the game healthy.  I would imagine we will have anyone who is banged up in any way resting. I don't really see the crowd booing or caring a whole lot in this one, especially if Sean Mannion is behind center which is likely at some point.  

@"JR44" said: This game will have a pre season feel as it really doesn't mean anything.  Losing actually could possibly help our draft position one or two spots, other than that the only thing on the line is getting through the game healthy.  I would imagine we will have anyone who is banged up in any way resting. I don't really see the crowd booing or caring a whole lot in this one, especially if Sean Mannion is behind center which is likely at some point.  

• For the teams that did not make the playoffs, order is determined by overall season record, with the worst record picking first.
• For the teams that made the playoffs, the rest of the picks are ordered by playoff record, with the teams that lose getting lower picks based on which round they were ousted and the Super Bowl winner getting the last pick.

MN would need 8-7 Eagles and 8-7 Titans to win 1st round, in order for MN to gain 21st pick
Looks like MN is destine for 23rd

what will leave a bad taste in Vikings mouths through the off season if we loose:
a) to the Packers
b) to the Bears
c) the first round of the playoffs

Especially after starting the season off being beaten by the Packers and Bears.

Makes the whole season a waste of time and effort.

If?
It would honestly surprise me if the Vikings steal the W.

I think the game means more than some people think.  We don’t want to back into the playoffs.  That is a sure way to get knocked out early.  We need that Bears win to feel like we have earned the right to be there.  I would love to see us play the Packers again.  I don’t think they can win 3 in a row—even in Lamblow.  We may sit some who are banged up but we need this game and Zim better know that. 

0/3 vs Packers and Bears so far this season...There's a big reason for no North title right there. It's going to take a playoff win or 2 to put the wind back in my fan sails. 

I hope someone can post-up our winning % vs teams with winning records this season. I think we're going to see the reality of a team that is slightly above average.

Then look at our D standings, the draft and cap capital over there...It all points to a re-tool that is far more extensive than I ever anticipated going into this season and the on-going needs at LT, LG and 3t. 

I'm not sure that resting the starters after shitting the bed in a meaningful game sends the right message.

SEAN MANNIONQB, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Sean Mannion will start Week 17 against Chicago.This was expected with the Vikings locked into the No. 6 seed. The Vikings don't want to risk Kirk Cousins to injury in a meaningless game. Minnesota has also ruled out Dalvin Cook (shoulder) and LB Erik Kendricks (quad).
SOURCE: St. Paul Pioneer Press

@"BarrNone55" said: I'm not sure that resting the starters after shitting the bed in a meaningful game sends the right message.

@"BarrNone55" said:

SEAN MANNIONQB, MINNESOTA VIKINGS Sean Mannion will start Week 17 against Chicago.This was expected with the Vikings locked into the No. 6 seed. The Vikings don't want to risk Kirk Cousins to injury in a meaningless game. Minnesota has also ruled out Dalvin Cook (shoulder) and LB Erik Kendricks (quad). SOURCE: St. Paul Pioneer Press

I definitely understand the logic of wanting to see them play well going into the playoff especially after such a bad performance, however this team couldn't get themselves up for a home game against GB for the division, so we are not talking about a typical team.  I don't think this game really matters, it will basically be a coin flip regardless as to which team shows up next week.