AP Urlacher played like the six-time Pro Bowl pick that he is, harassing Jackson often, recording two sacks, and twice taking the ball from Minnesota.
He was angry and embarrassed two months ago when Peterson shredded the Bears defense for 224 yards and three touchdowns to send the Vikings to a 34-31 victory at Soldier Field. Never in the history of the franchise had an opposing player gained so much on the ground.
Well, they didn’t forget that game, and the return of starting cornerback Nathan Vasher — after nearly two months due to nagging groin injury — gave the Bears’ beat-up defense another boost.
Though they moved the ball well at times in the first half, six points were all the Vikings managed, and they were lucky to get the last three.
Jackson’s first throw was on target to Robert Ferguson, but the ball bounced off his chest and into Urlacher’s hands and he returned it to the Minnesota 14. Two false-start penalties on the Bears forced them to settle for a 29-yard field goal by Robbie Gould.
Minnesota drove to the Chicago 22 on its next possession, but Peterson didn’t handle Jackson’s handoff cleanly, and Urlacher grabbed the errant ball for another turnover.
Chester Taylor dropped a third-down pass in the second quarter that would have put Minnesota in field-goal range, and with less than 1 minute left before halftime Jackson made his worst throw in more than a month by forcing a ball over Bobby Wade’s head that Vasher picked off and took 34 yards to the 12.
McKie’s short touchdown run came next, and the Bears had a 10-point lead. The Vikings used an 18-yard scramble by Jackson and a 15-yard late-hit penalty on Charles Tillman to sneak into range for Longwell to kick a 48-yard field goal at the gun.
Notes: Minnesota was without top cornerback Antoine Winfield for the second half due to a left shoulder injury. ... Chicago converted only one of 14 third-down conversions.
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