Longwell decides it with full driver from 55 yards

In an afternoon filled with jaw-dropping returns, mind-boggling runs by a rookie running back and pinball-like scoring at the end, Sunday's game ended up coming down to one simple question:

Could a 6-foot-2, 200-pound kicker boot a ball 55 yards through a goal post 18 feet, 6 inches wide?

Unfortunately for Bears fans, Ryan Longwell did exactly that to send the Soldier Field faithful home in the ultimate state of depression after a 34-31 Vikings victory.

The kick bettered Longwell's career long of 54 yards and marked the ninth time in his 11-year NFL career that he won a game in overtime or with three seconds or less on the clock.

"I thought it was a knockdown 7-iron," Vikings coach Brad Childress said. "But he told me it was a full driver."

The ball barely cleared the crossbar, and the officials had Longwell worried for a moment.

"The referees kind of looked at each other for a second. I was like, 'What's going on?' " he said.

The Bears' ability to block field goals has made kickers adjust their style, especially on kicks of more than 50 yards, when they usually try to drive the ball.

"I knew I couldn't do that with their guys. I mean, they're so good at blocking kicks," Longwell said. "I had to hit a normal field goal, which is why it went high and we had to wait a little longer for it to go through."