Peterson's poise impresses Smith

MINNEAPOLIS -- Vikings rookie running back Adrian Peterson hasn't slowed down much since rushing for 224 yards against the Bears in Week 6, even though he missed 2 1/2 games with a sprained knee.

"Adrian Peterson is a young guy that's playing like he's been in the league forever," Bears coach Smith said. "He does so many things well: catches the football, he's a tough guy to tackle in the open field. He helps their entire offense. You have to gang up and stop the run."

Defensive coordinator Bob Babich stressed the importance of containing Peterson throughout last week's practices.

"He (was) basically telling us we're going to stop the run," free safety Danieal Manning said. "However that is -- nine in the box or eight in the box -- we're going to stop the run, and they're going to have to have the quarterback and the receivers beat us."

Peterson, who scored twice, was held to 78 yards on 20 carries as the Bears did in fact do a nice job of bottling up one of the league's most exciting players.

Manning and Peterson go way back, all the way to high school in Texas.

"He's from Palestine, and I'm from Corsicana. That's like a 45-minute difference," said Manning, who played football against the younger Peterson just once but got the best of him in track, beating him in the 100 and 200 meters.

"I can run him down," Manning said. "Let's hope we don't (let him) get that far."

Well rested: Not only has it been nearly two years since Kyle Orton started a game, it's been that long since he's thrown a pass in the regular season.

But Lovie Smith was still confident in Orton's ability heading into Monday night's game.

"I don't know if that's the proper way you would like for a quarterback to come in and have to play right away in the situation that we put him in," Smith said.

"I've seen (him) for two years, working against our No. 1 defense each day, and he's gotten stronger with his body. He's mentally into it. I don't think it's too big for him. He's a guy that deserves to play and I think he'll play well."

Orton completed 22 of 38 passes for 184 yards and was picked once, on a long bomb intended for Bernard Berrian late in the fourth quarter.

Lineup shuffling: Cornerback Nate Vasher returned after missing 10 games with a partially torn groin muscle.

Last week, Vasher said it would take "a miracle" for him to play and characterized his chances of being active as "slim to none." Although he didn't start because the Bears opened with three safeties, Vasher played most of the game.

John St. Clair started at left guard in place of Terrence Metcalf, who started the previous five games after the season-ending shoulder injury to Ruben Brown.

It was the first-ever NFL start at guard for St. Clair, an eight-year veteran who has started at both tackle spots in the past.

Israel Idonije started at nose tackle in place of Darwin Walker (elbow), and Jimmy Kennedy and Matt Toeaina played early and often although both were signed just last week.

Sitting it out: Defensive tackle Darwin Walker (elbow) missed his third game of the season because of injury. The other inactives were tight end John Gilmore, who missed just his second game of the last 80 and his first since 2003; defensive tackle Babatunde Oshinowo, wide receiver Mike Hass, guard Josh Beekman, linebacker Darrell McClover and safety Josh Gattis. Rex Grossman was the third quarterback.

Defensive end Mark Anderson suffered a knee injury late in the first quarter and did not return. Vikings cornerback Antopine Winfield suffered a shoulder injury late in the second quarter and did not return.