Edina's BERNIE KUKAR, a friend of the 9-to-Noon Project, was the ref when MATT HASSELBECK made that ill-fated proclomation at Lambeau Field. Bernie consults for the Vikings these days and will be at MOA Field Sunday when the veteran QB takes the reins for Tennessee due to a shoulder injury that has knocked out second-year guy JAKE LOCKER.

I really wanted to see Locker, my favorite QB into the 2011 draft. I liked Locker, NEWTON and PONDER in that order and firmly believe our team would have taken Jake had he been there at 12. The Titans plucked him, though, and with the selection they got a guy with a rocket arm, a desire to compete and a winning attitude. Jake is going to be very, very good one day, just not this Sunday at our spot.

So, how does this impact the game? It helps and hurts us. Matt will be more poised to handle the loud crowd and not become rattled. His deep ball never was great and is lacking at this stage of his career. And unlike Jake he cannot move too well, which means our four-man rush might be able to get home a time or two.

I expect the Titans to utlilize a quick-rhythm offense, predicated on yards after catch. Rookie WR KENDALL WRIGHT probably will be a big focus out of the slot, and the inclusion of hurt WR KENNY BRITT is in question. NATE WASHINGTON is a sneaky-good WR and their TE JARED COOK is pretty good, too. We have permitted three TE TD's this year and that number would have been four had BRANDON PETTIGREW not dropped an easy one last Sunday.

Curious to see if they stay true to the run off CHRIS JOHNSON'S buck-and-change outburst against Houston. A fair amount of those yards came late when the game was out of question and the Texans were dropping many a defending Rube into coverage to defend against the deep ball. Chris was averaging 1.8 YPC into that game and I do not believe will be able to beat us by himself.

Our rush defense has done quite well this season, and we still have yet to allow a rushing TD to a running back. Our DL and LB's versus their OL and FB's should sway the way of the home team, and this could be a game where we house our first pick six since the final game of the 2010 season. If the Vikings pressure Matt he'll become statuesque and our guys can go to route jumping. Given our tackling is markedly better than last year I don't expect much YAC from the Titans, and gambling may be okay this game.

We didn't blitz STAFFORD much and are not considered a quality blitzing defense. This could be the game to unfurl CHRIS COOK or WINFIELD from the edge, hopefully blindsiding Hasselbeck and forcing turnovers.