The Chicago Bears took on the Minnesota Vikings Sunday in a game that would produce the first place team in the NFC North.
Minnesota came out on the first drive and took the ball 67 yards in 5:42 and scored on an Adrian Peterson run on 4th-and-1 at the CHI 1 yard line. As a Bears fan it was a horrible thing to see. Thankfully, the Bears came right back and scored on a 5 play 54 yard drive capped off by Greg Olsen 18 yard TD reception. From there it looked like it was going to be a shoot out.
The following drive, Vikings punter Chris Kluwe fumbled the snap and had his punt blocked. It was returned 17 yards by RB Garrett Wolfe for a TD. Minnesota answered right back with their offense firing on all cylinders, taking the ball 70 yards and scoring on a Gus Frerotte TD pass to TE Visanthe Shiancoe. It went back and forth like this for the entire first half, with the Bears leading 27-24 at the break. The first half also saw a muffed punt by Minnesota and recovered by the Bears Zack Bowman for a TD.
The third quarter continued with what has helped call this game a "Wild" one. Chicago started with the ball in the third and drove down to the MIN 36 yard line. QB Kyle Orton threw the ball to TE Desmond Clark who in turn ran the ball down the field to, what we thought, score a TD. However, the ball was knocked lose at the MIN 1 yard line and on a heads up play by WR Rasheid Davis, was recovered by him in the end-zone for a Chicago TD.
In the last minutes of the fourth quarter, with Chicago up 48-41, the Vikings were going to get another chance. “It’s kind of becoming difficult getting these games at the last minute, but we finished,” said defensive tackle Tommie Harris. Thats right Tommie, you guys finished it.
Chicago ended the game on a interception by Zack Bowman. “We played with what we had and the new guys stepped up and made big plays for us. If this team can win like that, I just can’t wait to see how we look when everybody comes back."
“It was a track meet, and luckily we had a little bit more speed at the end,” said coach Lovie Smith. That just leaves me to wonder, though. How does a team in the Vikings only score 12 points against the worst defense last week in Detroit, but comeback and score 41 points on this Bears defense?
Again Adrian Peterson had his way with the Bears rushing 22 times for 121 yards and 2 TD's, with 54 of it coming on one run.
What sealed the deal for the Bears were their special teams and three picks in the second half. If it were not for the special teams mistakes by the Vikings, I think Chicago would have lost this one. Thankfully, though, our offense performed well and the defense stepped up when needed.
“I felt like if we could continue to get the football, we could get points on the board, and that’s what we were able to do most of the [game],” Smith said. “When you’re moving the ball like that offensively, you want to get it to them as much as possible, and the takeaways were big.”
Chicago will go into their by week with a win and share a seat atop the NFC North with the Green Bay Packers.
Join me later this week as I look into the changing tide in Chicago with the defense fading into the night and the offense rising from the ashes.
Stats:
CHI: Kyle Orton 21/32 for 283 yards and 2 TDs, Matt Forte had 73 total yards and 1 TD, Greg Olsen had 74 yards receiving and 1 TD, Marty Booker had 79 yards receiving and 1 TD. Corey Graham and Kevin Payne both had 8 tackles and 1 INT. Payne also had one sack.
MIN: Gus Frerotte 24/40 for 298 yards, 2 TD's and 4 INT's. Adrian Peterson 22 rushes for 121 yards and 2 TD's. Bernard Berrian 6 receptions for 81 yards and 1 TD. Cedric Griffin lead the Vikings defense with 8 tackles and 1 forced fumble.
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