Vikings defense bowls over Bears

MINNEAPOLIS - If the Bears had been in Mall of America rather than on Mall of America Field, here's how far the offense would have moved Sunday afternoon in the first, third and fourth quarters combined:

All the way from Kids Foot Locker to Lady Foot Locker.

For those unfamiliar with the layout of America's largest mall - located on the site of the Vikings' former stadium - those two stores are located in the same spot.

If you throw out the second quarter of the Bears' 36-10 loss at Minnesota, here's the total production by Jay Cutler's crew:

Six possessions. Twenty yards. Four sacks. No first downs.

Perhaps enough forward progress to get from one bank of Foot Locker cash registers to the other, though who knows with it being the holidays and all?

"They line up with I don't know how many all-pros, but it showed today," center Olin Kreutz said. "I mean, they beat our (butt).

"Three out of their four D-Linemen are the best at what they do in the NFL - and that makes it tough. They have the best D-End (Jared Allen), they have the best nose guard (Pat Williams) and the best 3-technique (tackle Kevin Williams), so obviously they're going to be a good unit."

While Kreutz and his linemates wrapped up their Pro Bowl ballots, the Vikings rang up 4 sacks and 2 interceptions and extended their streak to 34 games without allowing a 100-yard rusher.

Actually, that last achievement should come with an asterisk because Matt Forte carried eight times while Cutler scrambled twice and tried one sneak. Those 11 runs netted 43 yards.

"You know, we didn't really even try to establish a running game," Forte said. "We were passing a lot and moving the ball."

That's a fair statement. With Cutler mixing three- and five-step drops, the Bears bit off moderate chunks of yardage with quick hits to tight end Greg Olsen and wideout Earl Bennett.

When the Vikings started to creep up, that's when Johnny Knox beat Vikings corner Benny Sapp on a fly pattern for a 24-yard touchdown that made it 7-7 in the second quarter.

But the Bears' next two possessions ended in Cutler interceptions - and the game all but ended with it.

Leading 24-7 coming out of halftime, the Vikings' Pro Bowlers set their sights on Cutler. All 4 of their sacks came after halftime, including a pair from Allen.

He beat backup tight end Kellen Davis on the first sack and backup left tackle Kevin Shaffer on the other, but Allen gave Cutler a pat on the figurative helmet afterward.

"I thought that was the most poised I've ever seen him when playing against him," said Allen, who battled Cutler when they played in the AFC West. "Sometimes he can get frustrated, but they had a couple drives when they went no-huddle and were making plays."

As for all of those other drives - how can the Bears get more mileage out of them?

"You show up, you work on your craft, and you get better," Kreutz said. "If you're not embarrassed, if you're not trying to get better, then you don't belong in the NFL."