Bears and Vikes set for outdoor TCF Bank Stadium Monday night

  

MINNEAPOLIS—A University of Minnesota official says the playing field at TCF Bank Stadium is fairly soft despite frigid temperatures and he’s confident it will be ready for Monday night’s Bears-Minnesota Vikings game.The Vikings’ home game had to be moved to the stadium after the Metrodome’s roof buckled under snow last weekend.Garry Bowman, the university’s director of athletic communications, said 90 percent of the field has been cleared of snow and crews plan to begin laying a tarp on Friday under which hot air will be pumped.He says a layer of snow kept the artificial turf insulated and that the field is in better shape now than it was on Nov. 27 for the Golden Gophers’ last home game.Daytime temperatures Monday are expected to be in the teens. This will be the first ourdoor game played in Minnesota by the Vikings since their last contest at Metropolitan Stadium in 1981 and the first they have ever played in the elements in the City of Minneapolis since the “Met” was located in Bloomington.