MINNEAPOLIS—The Bears now have lost four in a row and six of seven after getting soundly whipped 36-10 by the playoff bound Minnesota Vikings in the Metrodome Sunday. Brett Favre,facing the Bears as a Viking for the first time,threw for a season high 392 yards and three touchdowns, all in the second quarter,and Jay Cutler was limited to 147 yards and 1 TD pass while getting intercepted twice.The Bears only had TWO net yards in the 2nd half.
The Vikings marched with ease on the opening drive of the game from their own 20, but on a first and five from the Bears 27, Adrian Peterson was stuffed behind the line by Hunter Hillenmeyer and coughed up the ball,which Alex Brown recovered at the 35,but the Bears(4-7) went ‘three and out’ and Brad Maynard punted to the Minnesota 27,each team then turned in a three downs and out. The Vikings(10-1) net turned in their longest drive of the season, 96 yards in 13 plays,the longest of which was a 26 yard Favre to former Bear Bernard Berrian pass to the Bear six yard line. On a play in which Favre was threw an uncatchable pass well in front of Visanthe Shiancoe, Al Afalava was flagged for a horrible pass interference which put the ball at the 1, but on the final play of the first quarter, Favre was sacked at the 15 by Afalava. On the first snap of the second period however, Farve rolled right and found rookie Percy Harvin who made a leaping catch at the front of the end zone. The Bears did answer as Cutler found his rhythm, hitting Greg Olsen three times, and Devin Hromashodu to put the ball at the Vikes 24. and on the net play Cutler tossed a rain bow,right on the money that Johnny Knox caught in the far back of the end zone to tie the game. One more Minnesota was able to drive thanks mostly to a season(and career)high 35 fun on an end around by Harvin that put the ball on the Bears 45. Then from the 10, Chester Taylor ran around the right side and dove past the pile on to make it 14-7. Knox returned the next kickoff to the 31,but fumbled on the way down and and ball went right into the hands of Heath Farwell of Minnesota. Lovie Smith challenged the fumble all on the field, but the call withstood.The Bears stopped that drive(minus 3 yards) on three downs and Ryan Longwell kicked a 52 yard field goal.The Bears had two last shots in the half but Cutler had passes picked off by Cedric Griffin and Jared Allen.Favre than completed a 32 yarder to Sidney Rice at the Bears 2 and one play later,he threw his third TD pass of the quarter, to Shiancoe with :17 left and it was 24-7 at halftime.
Knox returned the second half kickoff 77 yards to the Minnesota 8,but the Bears went backwards with a false start and a five yard sack by Pat Williams making the drive -12 yards. Robbie Gould kicked a 38 yard field goal.The Vikings used plenty of clock and got those three points back on a Longwell 37 yarder with 7:45 left in the third to make it 27-10.Peterson put the icing on this rout with a 5 yard TD run that came with 6:35 left,but the extra point was missed when the snap from center got away.
NOTES—The Vikings put former Illini Scott Studwell into their ‘Ring Of Honor’…..Cutler was 18-23 for his 147 passing yards and a passer rating of 71.6……Favre was 32-48 for his 392 yards and three TD’s. His passer rating was 112.5…..The Vikes Peterson was limited to 85 rushing yards on 25 carries,but he had 1 TD.
LES