Minnesota Vikings vs Chicago Bears Match Player Stats On Oct 31, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Oct 31, 2016

CHICAGO -- Jay Cutler threw for 252 yards and a touchdown and Jordan Howard ran for 153 yards and a score as the Chicago Bears beat the Minnesota Vikings 20-10 on Monday night at Soldier Field.

Cutler, who missed five straight games with a sprained thumb, was efficient and completed 20 of 31 passes for Chicago (2-6), which snapped a three-game losing streak. Cutler's 11-yard touchdown pass to Alshon Jeffery gave the Bears a 20-3 lead with 9:52 remaining in the third quarter.

The scoring catch was the first of the season for Jeffery, who had four catches for the Bears as did Howard. Tight end Zach Miller finished with seven catches for 88 yards.

Minnesota (6-2) failed to reach the end zone until a little more than five minutes remained in the fourth quarter when Sam Bradford connected with Stefon Diggs on a 25-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-6. Bradford threw for 228 yards on 23-of-37 passing in the loss.

Until the Vikings' late scoring strike, the Bears' defense shut the Vikings down and sacked Bradford five times as the Vikings lost for the second straight week following six straight victories.

The Bears led 13-3 at halftime behind a dominating defensive performance that forced the Vikings to punt on their first five possessions.

The defense maintained the shutout before the Vikings managed a Blair Walsh 30-yard field goal with 26 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Minnesota's lone first-half scoring drive was extended on a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty against the Bears after Pernell McPhee sacked Bradford, who fumbled on the play. Minnesota receiver Adam Thielen recovered Bradford's fumble, which allowed the Vikings' offense to remain on the field due to the penalty.

The Vikings drove inside the Bears 10-yard line before Chicago's defense shut Minnesota down and sacked Bradford for a 10-yard loss before Walsh connected on the field goal.

Jordan Howard's 2-yard touchdown run earlier in the second quarter provided the Bears with a 13-point lead.

A 69-yard Howard run set up a Connor Barth field goal in the first quarter that gave the Bears an early 3-0 lead. Barth also connected on a 28-yard field goal after the Bears drove inside the Vikings' 20-yard line. Howard helped set up Barth's second field goal by taking a Cutler shovel pass 34 yards. But a Jeffery drop in the end zone forced the Bears to settle for the field goal.

NOTES: Vikings PR Marcus Sherels (wrist injury) did not play Monday night. Sherels, who is tied for third in the NFL in punt return average, did not practice last week, but was listed as questionable. ... KR Cordarrelle Patterson played after clearing the NFL's concussion protocol over the weekend. ... Bears QB Jay Cutler returned after missing five games with a thumb sprain. ... RG Kyle Long did not play after suffering a quadriceps injury last week against Green Bay. ... LG Josh Sitton missed his second straight game with an ankle injury. ... RB Jeremy Langford was active after missing four games with a high ankle sprain.