We're Black and Blue All Over:

As promised, the Minnesota Vikings have submitted a bid to host the Super Bowl in their new stadium, according to Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.

The facility, approved this spring, is scheduled to open for the 2016 season. There had been some talk about pursuing the Super Bowl in 2017, but in the end the Vikings will bid on a three-year window between 2018-20. NFL rules now require new stadiums to host at least one other major event, such as a concert, before a Super Bowl would be played there.

Five firms are competing to win the design contract for the new facility, which will have a roof to alleviate concerns about an outdoor Super Bowl. The NFL has booked its championship game through the 2016 season and is expected to award the 2018 game by the spring of 2014.

Continuing around the NFC North: