Vikings-Bears pick from Chicago

Chicago _

Before I head to Soldier Field,here's my view of today's game between the Vikings and Bears.

Jay Cutler is just enough to a contrarian to play well today. Remember, earlier this season he led a stunning comeback victory at San Francisco.

But I can't pick that way. It's not so much that Cutler throws silly interceptions .It's that Cutler looked like he didn't want to be playing football in his last game, at Green Bay. He refused to set his feet and throw accurately even on swing passes and screens. Your franchise player not only has to play well, your franchise player has to set a standard of intensity and commitment. Cutler doesn't cmoe close in either way.

I like Mike Zimmer's defense to keep Cutler confused enough that he'll fold. Zimmer has done his best work with the front seven, creating pressure, and that should be the deciding factor today.

When the Vikings have teh ball, I look at the fact that most offenses have moved the ball very easily against the Bears this year. I think Jerick McKinnon has his best game of the season, and Teddy Bridgewater is made comfortable enough to move the offense. The return of Kyle Rudolphi - the guy I thought would be the key to the passing game this season - should be very important. Rudolph can be both the safe option for Bridgewater when he's facing pressure, and perhaps the Vikings' best deep threat.

So, my pick is Vikings 26, Bears 20.

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I've joined the @aliveandsocial podcast network, the same one that employs my old friend Jeff Dubay. Sean Barnard is my new boss.

My first podcast featured Paul Molitor and local author Ross Bernstein, who is close with Marc Trestman and has done a book with him. Ross was great on Marc's mindset.

My second was with Strib NFL writer Mark Craig, who told some great stories and offered perspective on the changing nature of the league and how we cover it.

Moving forward, I'll continue to feature my favorite writers, and peopole like Matt Birk, Craig Leipold and Roy Smalley have agreed to come on.

I'm a newbie at this, and hope to get better at is as I adapt to the format. My hope is to have conversations that will be different than what you can hear anywhere else, or at least to have some fun with some great people.

The cool thing about the @aliveandsocial network is that we also want to promote great local music. Wednesday I was at Shamrocks, and got to listen to The Last Ride and Nathan Anderson, and they are remarkably talented people.

At some point, we hope to be able to put together full nights of music.

Anyway, thanks for any support you can lend the network and my new venture.