One of the big questions in the NFC North heading into the season centered on Minnesota quarterback Daunte Culpepper.
Would he ever play again the way he did in 2000, when he threw 33 touchdown passes and only 16 interceptions in his first year as a starter for an 11-5 team?
Or was the 2002 season more telling? He threw 18 touchdown passes vs. 23 interceptions for a 6-10 team.
Unfortunately for the Bears, who visit the Metrodome Sunday night, the early returns are not promising. Culpepper and the Vikings hit the road for Sunday’s opener and came away with a relatively easy 30-25 victory at Green Bay.
Culpepper completed a modest 50 percent of his passes–15 of 30. But three went for touchdowns and he threw no interceptions. He also ran nine times for 50 yards.
“It’s always a challenge when you play him,” defensive end Phillip Daniels said. “He’s a big guy (6 feet 4 inches, 260 pounds) who can run and throw. We have to put pressure on him and not let him scramble.”
That’s not always as easy as it sounds.
“We have to rush smart,” defensive end Alex Brown said. “We can’t just run up the field, because he can beat you with his legs too. You have to pick your times [to rush upfield].”
Culpepper’s tailspin was a reason the Vikings were 3-10 at one point last season. But in the final three games he completed more than 70 percent of his passes and the Vikings finished 6-10.
What was the problem with Culpepper?
“He’s a guy who wants to do so much,” said Bears guard Corbin Lacina, who was a Viking the last four seasons. “And it gets to a point that if he relaxes and settles down and plays ball, he can be extremely talented and very successful.
“Last year he was trying to do too much. The quarterback has to lead the team to an extent. Maybe he felt he had to carry the team and that might have been too much for him.”
Culpepper also lost nine fumbles last season, giving him an NFL-high 32 turnovers. He was working behind a patchwork offensive line, which since has stabilized.
“Last year he may have been forcing things, and you could see it in the way he handled the ball,” Lacina said. “He seemed to be a little uptight. When he relaxed we were successful . . . dominant as an offense.”
Culpepper’s most important job is to get the ball to Randy Moss, who had nine receptions for 150 yards Sunday. Running back Michael Bennett is out indefinitely with a broken foot.
“We know what the Minnesota offense is all about,” Bears cornerback Jerry Azumah said. “There’s no secret what Moss is capable of doing. They have a great offense and they showed it Sunday. Every week will be a challenge. This week we have another great receiver and another great quarterback.”
San Francisco’s combination of Jeff Garcia and Terrell Owens helped the 49ers to a 49-7 victory over the Bears on Sunday.
“For the second week in a row we face a quarterback who makes plays outside the design of the play,” coach Dick Jauron said. “They just make things happen and that’s tough to defense.”
Culpepper is “a mobile quarterback with a strong arm,” safety Mike Brown said. “They hold the ball longer so the defense has to stay in coverage longer.”
Lacina watched the Vikings go through training camp from a distance and expects them to challenge his new teammates.
“I think they feel very confident offensively, in terms of where we finished last year, being No. 2 in offense in the league and No. 1 in rushing,” he said. “It’s an extremely confident group, a very high-powered group with a huge offensive line.”
