Eleven years ago, the Vikings were out of the playoff race when Bears coach Lovie Smith rested his playoff-bound starters in a meaningless game at the Metrodome.
The Vikings won 34-10 and Mike Tice got to say he left a winner at 9-7 when he was fired in the locker room after the game.
Five years ago, Lovie’s Bears were 8-7 and out of the playoff race when they closed the season at the Metrodome against Leslie Frazier’s 3-12 Vikings team. Jared Allen won — 3 1/2 sacks to set the franchise mark of 22 — but the Vikings lost 17-13 and Frazier will forever be lumped next to another Les — Steckel — and the infamous mark of 3-13 in 1984.