POD: Minnesota-7.5 (NFL) L

POD: Minnesota-7.5 @ Chicago (3K units) L

Preview: Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre says he’s put aside any disagreements with coach Brad Childress.

The coach and quarterback would both agree Favre needs to avoid the sort of late-season swoon that plagued him last year. If he can replicate his last performance against the Chicago Bears, that won’t be an issue.

Favre and the Vikings try to bounce back from their second loss in three games and possibly clinch a postseason bye Monday night when they visit the struggling Bears.

Minnesota lost 26-7 at Carolina last week in a game that will be best remembered for what Favre termed a “heated discussion” with Childress on the sideline. It occurred after the coach attempted to pull the veteran quarterback in the third quarter even as Minnesota held a one-point lead.
Childress insists he was trying to protect Favre from a Panthers pass rush that sacked him four times. The two talked twice during the week to clear the air about the dispute, which included the coach grabbing his quarterback’s arm.

“I think it’s all resolved,” Favre said. “I think the team as well as the coaching staff knows where I stand and what I stand for, as I do them. … We’re trying to do this thing together.”

What would help most to mend the Vikings now would be a victory over the Bears and a better performance from their quarterback.

Favre led the Vikings to a 10-1 start by throwing 24 touchdowns and three interceptions, but the 40-year-old has had three TDs and four interceptions in the three games since.

That dropoff is eerily similar to his final five games with the New York Jets last season. Favre helped that team open 8-3, but the Jets missed the playoffs by dropping four of their final five as he totaled nine interceptions and two TDs.

The Vikings (11-3) have already clinched a second straight NFC North title, but they could miss out on a first-round bye if their quarterback can’t turn things around.

Minnesota enters Week 16 one game ahead of Philadelphia, and would clinch a bye with a win and an Eagles loss. There’s also a faint chance of earning home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, but the Vikings would need two victories coupled with two losses by 13-1 New Orleans.

Playing a Bears team in disarray should help their cause, especially if Favre can repeat his performance from a 36-10 home win Nov. 29. In that game, he threw for a season-high 392 yards and three touchdowns, helping Minnesota rack up 537 total yards for its fourth win in five tries against Chicago (5-9).

Both of the Vikings’ recent losses have come away from the Metrodome, and they’re 1-7 at Soldier Field since 2001, including last season’s 48-41 defeat. Favre is 13-3 all-time in Chicago, but has lost in two of his last three trips there.

Besides Favre, Minnesota’s other concern is superstar running back Adrian Peterson, who’s had a string of underwhelming performances. He was held to 35 yards on 12 carries last week, and 19 yards on 13 attempts in a 30-17 loss at Arizona two weeks earlier. He’s run for 1,235 yards on the season, but hasn’t gained 100 in any of his last five games - the longest such drought of his three-year career.

“Our offense starts with Adrian Peterson and that’s where it ends, and we have to get that back on track,” Favre said.

Peterson has excelled in his two previous games at Soldier Field, including a then-franchise record 224 yards in his first trip there Oct. 14, 2007. He’s averaging 106.5 yards with nine touchdowns in five career matchups against the Bears.

Minnesota is also hoping rookie receiver Percy Harvin(notes) can continue to recover from migraine headaches. After sitting out a win over Cincinnati on Dec. 13, Harvin was limited to one practice last week and caught one pass for 10 yards against the Panthers.

Harvin had a career-best 101 yards and a touchdown in last month’s win over the Bears.

Chicago gave up four touchdowns through the air in last week’s 31-7 drubbing in Baltimore, its eighth defeat in 10 games - a slide which has led to rumors about coach Lovie Smith’s job security. The Bears owe Smith $11 million over the next two years, but general manager Jerry Angelo said the team’s performance in the final two games and not money would decide whether the franchise retains its coach.

“What’s a vote of confidence at this time? …(We’re) disappointed in our play, disappointed in our record,” Smith said. “I’m the head football coach, so I’m sure a lot of people aren’t knocking down the door wanting to pat me on the back.”

Chicago is assured of becoming the fourth NFL team to miss the playoffs at least three straight years following a Super Bowl appearance.

Jay Cutler(notes) threw three more interceptions last week to increase his NFL-worst total to 25. He’s in danger of becoming the first quarterback with 30 in a season since Vinny Testaverde(notes) in 1988, and is six shy of the franchise record set by Sid Luckman in 1947.