Vikings vs. Bears: 7 Things We Learned from Chicago's 39-10 Win

What a difference a week makes. Last week I was saying that the Bears' season is over, and now I am drinking the Kool-Aid again.

Yes, it was only the woeful Minnesota Vikings we beat. At 3-3 this team will not win its division, but they are very much in the wild card hunt in the NFC.

Now, this team still has its problems, and one win didn't fix everything of course. I still know the Bears are not a championship team, but it's good to get a win at home against a division opponent on national TV.

Nevertheless, this was a satisfying win for the Bears, who excelled in all three phases tonight.

Things got so bad for Minnesota that rookie Christian Ponder saw his first action of what could be a solid NFL career.  

Let's get down to business and go over the lessons learned from this game as we look forward to the Bears game in London against the Bucs.  

Martz Adjusted Blocking Scheme and O-Line Up to Challenge

As bad a team as the Vikings are, they have the best DE tandem in the league, having combined for 13 sacks between them coming into the game.

Yet Lance Louis did a nice job replacing Frank Omiyale at the right tackle position and held Brian Robinson down when it counted.

Left tackle J'Marcus Webb did better than he has, which isn't saying much, but the real reason the line did better is that Mike Martz adjusted the protection scheme.

It wasn't always full max-protect, but they did give help to Webb.

And hey, isn't it amazing what Jay Cutler can do when he actually has some time to set and throw?

Cutler finished 21-of-31 for 267 yards and two touchdowns and just as importantly, no interceptions, though he did have a fumble.

He was sacked only once and hit five times. That may be rough for some QBs, but it's a walk in the park for Cutler compared to what he's faced in other games as a Bear.  

Introducing Stephen Paea

Stephen Paea was expected to make an immediate impact at defensive tackle as the Bears' second-round draft pick.

The nasty and powerful former rugby player has been mysteriously absent throughout training camp, the postseason and the first four games of the regular season.

We know he had a knee problem coming out of college but some of Lovie Smith's comments could be interpreted as saying that there was more to it than injury.

Well, regardless of why he wasn't on the field, Paea finally did get playing time and made an immediate impact, sacking Donovan McNabb in the end zone for a safety in the first quarter.

Generally speaking, although I will have to watch the tape to be sure, it appeared that Paea played well.

Even when he had some trouble with mechanics and positioning at times, he used his brute strength to overcome those rookie mistakes.

Defense Executed Game Plan to Perfection

The game plan against the Vikings was simple: contain Adrian Peterson and limit the big plays which have been plaguing the Bears defense this season.

Even simple plans are often difficult to execute but tonight the Bears were up to the challenge. 

They held Peterson to just 16 rushing yards in the first half and by halftime, this game was basically over, with the Bears already holding a 26-3 lead.

Meanwhile, it's not as if the embattled McNabb was horrible or anything. He completed 15-of-19 for 138 yards in the first half, but couldn't get the ball into the end zone.

And that's the cover 2 in a nutshell. It gives up yards, but limits the big plays. This is how it's supposed to work.  

In the end, they held Peterson to 39 yards on 12 carries.

Devin Hester Wreaked Havoc All Day

Even when he wasn't returning kicks for touchdowns, the presence of Hester on the field once again proved how valuable he is.

Hester led the Bears with three catches for 77 yards and a touchdown in the first half.

The Bears also had a TD drive in the second quarter that was the result of excellent field position as they took over on the Vikings' 33-yard line thanks to an 18-yard punt by Chris Kluwe, who was trying to kick away from No. 23.

And yet the Vikings continued to kick to Hester, even after his sparkling TD kick return in the third quarter. The next punt went right to him and he almost broke another one.

Unfortunately, he left late in the game with an apparent chest injury. Hopefully, this is not something too serious.

Maybe Peppers Should Play Injured All the Time

Julius Peppers has largely been invisible this season, except for the Atlanta game.

But tonight, he surprised us all by playing with a specially designed brace and played well. He had two sacks and three tackles for a loss on the night.

Isreal Idonije and Paea had the other sacks tonight.

Meanwhile, Amobi Okoye actually showed up. An impact player in the preseason, he finally made his presence felt with a sack in the game.

I can't help but think that the reason the Bears listed Peppers as doubtful was in response to the Vikings' last season listing Favre as out and then having him start at the last minute.

Normally, NFL protocol is that whenever a player is listed as doubtful, that's as good as saying he won't play at all. So to not only play, but to start the game, is rare in that situation.

Vikings May Have a QB Controversy

Although Donovan McNabb played well, Christian Ponder, a first-round pick out of Florida State, made his professional debut tonight.

Ponder appeared to be mobile in the pocket, a trait we used to say about McNabb.

McNabb has faced criticism all year, even though his play hasn't been terrible at all. When teams lose, the QB often gets the blame.

And regardless of how McNabb is playing, at 1-5 the Vikings may as well see what Ponder can do.  

I'm sure many fans in Minnesota have been waiting with baited breath for Ponder to get playing time and isn't that the way it always is?

Here in Chicago, we always like the backup QB it seems...until he actually starts playing, that is.

Meanwhile, Ponder looks like he may have some real potential as a starting QB in the NFL. He at least gives hope for Vikings fans for the future.  

He has a quick release and puts good zip on the ball.

Matt Forte Continues to Prove His Worth to the Bears

Forte may not be the best running back in the NFL, but he is such a huge part of the Bears offense that maybe he should be paid with the elite players.

He apparently turned down one contract offer from Jerry Angelo, but his play continues to show the Bears that he needs to get paid.

The hold-up seems to be over the amount of guaranteed money in the deal. The bonus is really the only guaranteed portion of an NFL contract and the Bears insist that since he is not a free agent, he should not be compensated as one.

Yet again he led the team in receptions and he rushed for 87 yards on 17 carries, a 5.1 average. He is durable and he doesn't fumble.

Marion Barber, on the other hand, looks like the 2011 version of Chester Taylor so far.

Yes, he ran in untouched for a TD in the first half, but on the day he averaged just 2.9 yards per carry.

This just continues to show how effective Forte is. Pay the man!