Highlights with radio calls of the Bears 36-30 victory over the Vikings . A Very Entertaining Game Between 2 NFC Rivals. Chicago Ends ...
Jay Cutler threw for 273 yards, amassed a stellar 108.4 passer rating and tied a career high with four touchdown passes, including a 39-yarder to Devin Aromashodu with 9:15 remaining in overtime.
Through all the ups and downs of this season, the tough plays, the turnovers, and the way the offense hasnt performed, this type of win is good for the team and good for the morale, Cutler said. Going out there, putting up points, answering the bell, especially in the fourth quarter and overtime, we had to do it.
The Bears led the favored Vikings 16-0 at halftime and 23-6 midway through the third quarter before Minnesota stormed back with 17 unanswered points, eventually tying the score 23-23 on Adrian Petersons 1-yard touchdown run with 5:49 left in the fourth period.
After Danieal Manning returned the ensuing kickoff 59 yards to the Minnesota 21, Cutler lofted a 20-yard TD pass to Earl Bennett to give the Bears a 30-23 lead with 4:55 remaining.
But the Vikings forced overtime as Sidney Rice soared over Corey Graham to haul in a 6-yard TD pass from Brett Favre on fourth-and-goal with just :16 to play in regulation.
Cutlers 33-yard pass to Aromashodu on the first play of overtime gave the Bears a first down at the Minnesota 35. But Robbie Gould missed a 45-yard field goal attempt wide right.
After the teams traded punts, Hunter Hillenmeyer stripped the ball from Peterson on a 16-yard reception and Nick Roach recovered at the Minnesota 39. On the next play, Cutler hit Aromashodu with the game-winner, beating single coverage by cornerback Antoine Winfield down the right sideline.
It was designed to be a run play, but we checked to a go, said Aromashodu, who caught seven passes for a career-high 150 yards. Basically, if we saw everyone come down we werent going to run the ball into a blitz. So we checked to a double-go for both receivers and [Cutler] just made a great throw.
Given whats transpired during a frustrating season, coach Lovie Smith was thrilled with how the Bears (6-9) performed Monday night in avenging a 36-10 loss to the Vikings (11-4) Nov. 29 in Minnesota.
You cant live in the past, Smith said. Its been documented how the season has gone—not the way we envisioned it. But when you get to this point, all you can do is play your best ball with the few opportunities you have left. This was one of them.
In taking a 16-0 lead on Cutlers 7-yard TD pass to Greg Olsen and Gould field goals of 22, 42 and 41 yards, the Bears became the first team to blank the Vikings in the first half this season.
After permitting 537 total yards and 31 first downs in the first meeting between the teams this season, the Bears defense allowed only 82 yards and four first downs in the first half Monday night.
I think for the first game all year we actually played pretty well in the first half, said defensive end Alex Brown, who had one of the Bears three sacks of Favre. We didnt play timid. We just went out and played. We tried to have fun. We didnt want to go out and play nervous or scared and make mistakes.
That approach paid off as the Bears won on the games final play for the first time since a 20-17 overtime victory over the Green Bay Packers in their home finale last year.
This is the kind of finish we wanted all season long and finally got it, said linebacker Lance Briggs. Its a positive. These are the things—crowd is excited on the big catch, were excited, everyones running on the field. Thats the kind of feeling you want to have.
Through all the ups and downs of this season, the tough plays, the turnovers, and the way the offense hasnt performed, this type of win is good for the team and good for the morale, Cutler said. Going out there, putting up points, answering the bell, especially in the fourth quarter and overtime, we had to do it.
The Bears led the favored Vikings 16-0 at halftime and 23-6 midway through the third quarter before Minnesota stormed back with 17 unanswered points, eventually tying the score 23-23 on Adrian Petersons 1-yard touchdown run with 5:49 left in the fourth period.
After Danieal Manning returned the ensuing kickoff 59 yards to the Minnesota 21, Cutler lofted a 20-yard TD pass to Earl Bennett to give the Bears a 30-23 lead with 4:55 remaining.
But the Vikings forced overtime as Sidney Rice soared over Corey Graham to haul in a 6-yard TD pass from Brett Favre on fourth-and-goal with just :16 to play in regulation.
Cutlers 33-yard pass to Aromashodu on the first play of overtime gave the Bears a first down at the Minnesota 35. But Robbie Gould missed a 45-yard field goal attempt wide right.
After the teams traded punts, Hunter Hillenmeyer stripped the ball from Peterson on a 16-yard reception and Nick Roach recovered at the Minnesota 39. On the next play, Cutler hit Aromashodu with the game-winner, beating single coverage by cornerback Antoine Winfield down the right sideline.
It was designed to be a run play, but we checked to a go, said Aromashodu, who caught seven passes for a career-high 150 yards. Basically, if we saw everyone come down we werent going to run the ball into a blitz. So we checked to a double-go for both receivers and [Cutler] just made a great throw.
Given whats transpired during a frustrating season, coach Lovie Smith was thrilled with how the Bears (6-9) performed Monday night in avenging a 36-10 loss to the Vikings (11-4) Nov. 29 in Minnesota.
You cant live in the past, Smith said. Its been documented how the season has gone—not the way we envisioned it. But when you get to this point, all you can do is play your best ball with the few opportunities you have left. This was one of them.
In taking a 16-0 lead on Cutlers 7-yard TD pass to Greg Olsen and Gould field goals of 22, 42 and 41 yards, the Bears became the first team to blank the Vikings in the first half this season.
After permitting 537 total yards and 31 first downs in the first meeting between the teams this season, the Bears defense allowed only 82 yards and four first downs in the first half Monday night.
I think for the first game all year we actually played pretty well in the first half, said defensive end Alex Brown, who had one of the Bears three sacks of Favre. We didnt play timid. We just went out and played. We tried to have fun. We didnt want to go out and play nervous or scared and make mistakes.
That approach paid off as the Bears won on the games final play for the first time since a 20-17 overtime victory over the Green Bay Packers in their home finale last year.
This is the kind of finish we wanted all season long and finally got it, said linebacker Lance Briggs. Its a positive. These are the things—crowd is excited on the big catch, were excited, everyones running on the field. Thats the kind of feeling you want to have.
