Cutler Returns as Bears Defeat Vikings

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

Cutler recently missed five straight games with a sprained thumb. He was efficient tonight, though, and completed 20 of 31 passes for Chicago (2-6), which snapped a three-game losing streak. The Bears quarterback’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Alshon Jeffery provided Chicago a 20-3 lead with 9:52 left in the third quarter.

The scoring catch was the first of the season for Jeffery. Like Howard, he had four catches for the Bears. Tight end Zach Miller ended with seven catches for 88 yards.

Minnesota (6-2) wasn’t able to score until a little more than five minutes left in the game. Sam Bradford heaved a 25-yard touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs on fourth-and-6. Bradford had a 23-of-37 passing night for 228 yards in the loss.

The Bears’ defense shut the Vikings down and sacked Bradford five times up until the Vikings’ late scoring attack. After six straight victories, the Vikings lost for the second straight week.

The Bears was in front 13-3 at halftime at the back of a dominating defensive performance that pushed the Vikings to punt on their first five possessions.

The defense sustained the shutout before the Vikings accomplished a Blair Walsh 30-yard field goal with 26 seconds left in the second quarter.

Minnesota’s sole first-half scoring thrust was stretched on a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty against the Bears following Pernell McPhee’s sack on Bradford, who fumbled on the play. The Vikings’ offense remaind on the field due to the penalty after Minnesota receiver Adam Thielen picked up Bradford’s fumble.

The Vikings attempted a last ditch scoring thrust before the half and drove inside Chicago’s 10-yard line. But the defense shut Minnesota down and sacked Bradford for a 10-yard loss. This set up Walsh for his 50-yard field goal before the half ended.

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