Latest shuffle moves Omiyale ahead of Beekman

MINNEAPOLIS - Frank Omiyale returned as the starting left guard after four games on the bench behind Josh Beekman.

Omiyale is considered better in pass protection while Beekman is better as a run blocker, and the Bears didn't have much need for that particular skill Sunday.

Going against the league's No. 3 run defense, the Bears handed the ball to a running back just eight times, all to Matt Forte, who managed just 27 yards for a 3.4-yard average. Jay Cutler's 3 scrambles picked up 16 yards, giving the Bears a total of 43, the fourth time in 11 games they've had less than 50 yards on the ground.

"It was based on matchups," offensive coordinator Ron Turner said of the switch at left guard. "We were game-planning the matchups."

Turner wouldn't say if the move will become permanent.

"We'll have to look at it and see," he said. "We'll evaluate film and see how (Omiyale) played and see where we are and see what gives us the best chance to win next week."

No surprises: Nothing the Vikings did on defense surprised a Bears offense that produced a season-low 169 total yards.

The Vikings sacked Jay Cutler four times without resorting to blitzes.

"They just lined up and beat us," center Olin Kreutz said. "They didn't out-scheme us. We knew what they were doing when they lined up. It was pretty obvious. We couldn't do anything."

With the playoffs a virtual impossibility, Kreutz was asked what the O-line could do in the final five games.

"Keep fighting," he said. "This is our craft. This is what we do. We go out there to win games. We can get better. That's what we do."

Injury update: Kevin Shaffer finished the game at left tackle in place of Orlando Pace, who suffered a groin injury.

"Hopefully it's not too bad," said Pace, who kept Pro Bowl defensive end Jared Allen contained for most of the game. "I thought I was doing pretty good."

Allen had 2 sacks, one on Shaffer and one when tight end Kellen Davis was inexplicably left to block him one-on-one.

Linebacker Lance Briggs and cornerback Charles Tillman left in the second half with injuries and did not return. Defensive end Alex Brown (leg) and cornerback Zack Bowman (dehydration) were sidelined briefly but finished the game.

By the numbers: The 537 yards of total offense by the Vikings were the most the Bears have allowed in almost 27 years.

The last time they allowed more was on Dec. 26, 1982, when they permitted a franchise-worst 583 total yards in a 34-26 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.

Rams quarterback Vince Ferragamo threw for 509 yards, but Walter Payton had 104 rushing yards and 102 receiving yards.