Tough D, long pass lead Vikes past Bears 34-14

[December 01, 2008]  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- With a gutty goal-line stand and one big heave by Gus Frerotte, the Minnesota Vikings grabbed control of the NFC North and sent Kyle Orton and the Chicago Bears home with a humbling defeat.

Seconds after the Bears were stopped four times at the 1, Bernard Berrian pulled in a 99-yard touchdown pass from Frerotte that sent the Vikings to a 34-14 victory and sole possession of the division lead Sunday night.

Orton's team-record streak of 206 attempts without an interception ended with a thud, and Minnesota (7-5) turned three turnovers into 17 second-half points. Orton finished 11-for-29 for 153 yards and two touchdowns.

Adrian Peterson had 100 yards by halftime and finished with 131 yards and a touchdown for the Vikings, who enjoyed their most lopsided win of the season.

When the afternoon scores were given over the loudspeaker before the game, Green Bay's 35-31 loss to Carolina got a hearty cheer. The Packers (5-7) fell two games behind after a brutal November, and the Vikings (7-5) sailed into the fourth quarter of the season with a critical lead over the Bears (6-6).

The possibility of four-game suspensions for star defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams looms for Minnesota, and Chicago plays three straight weeks at home. Clearly, this was one the Vikings just had to have.

After surrendering 283 yards and two touchdowns passing last month in a 48-41 loss at Soldier Field to Orton, one of the best games of his breakthrough season, the Vikings tightened up. They gave up a 65-yard touchdown pass to Devin Hester in the first quarter, but that was their only lapse.

The Bears, leading 7-3, reached the 1 after a 26-yard scamper by Matt Forte up the sideline.

The Williams wall didn't budge, though, stuffing three straight-ahead runs in a row after an overthrow by Orton. Ben Leber and Pat Williams smacked Forte, the league's leading rookie rusher, on fourth down to send the defense rollicking off the field. Chicago coach Lovie Smith looked as if he was about to lose his lunch.

Momentum to Minnesota.

Frerotte dropped back in the end zone and found Berrian blowing by former teammate Charles Tillman, who had ducked inside to apparently cut off a post route. The pass was perfect, and the result -- the longest offensive play in Minnesota history by 10 yards -- had the home crowd roaring.

The stunned Bears punted it back, and Frerotte went 4-for-4 for 52 yards on an 86-yard drive he finished with a 1-yard sneak that made it 17-7 right before the half.

[Associated Press; By DAVE CAMPBELL]

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