Kreutz tries to set the record straight

Six-time Pro Bowl center Olin Kreutz said after the loss to the Ravens in Week 15 that the Bears need to make changes starting at the top.

Those comments were misconstrued by some, who suggested the Bears would be better off next year without the 12-year veteran. There was also a theory that he wanted to get released by the Bears so he could sign somewhere else and get a big signing bonus.

"That's one thing I hope people realize," Kreutz said. "I've been playing for 12 years, so I'm pretty well off. I don't need much more money. I'm here to win games. So, when I say stuff I'm saying it to win games, I'm not saying stuff to get myself thrown out. If I wanted to get thrown out, I would have gotten thrown out years ago. Obviously I want to be a Bear, and that's what I've always wanted to be. There's no ulterior motive when I say something, I just want to help us win games, period.

"When you say something, you open yourself up for criticism, and that's what I did."

When Kreutz re-signed with the Bears in 2002, he took less money to stay with them than he could have gotten from the Dolphins.

Kreutz was singled out for his leadership last week in keeping his teammates focused on the Vikings. Kreutz, as usual, downplayed his leadership role, but his attitude seemed to rub off on the Bears.

"First of all, you play to compete against the guy you're playing against, and then you want to win the game," he said. "That's what we line up for every week, and I promise you, when you line up, you're not thinking about being out of the playoffs or what are we even playing for. You're thinking about, 'I'm not going to let this guy kick my (butt).' That's the way you play the game."

Grass man: Vikings running back Adrian Peterson loves playing on grass, and apparently he's especially fond of the Soldier Field grass. In his two previous games in Chicago, Peterson rushed for 345 yards and 5 touchdowns on 42 carries, an 8.2-yard average per carry. In five total games against the Bears, Peterson had scored 9 touchdowns, at least 1 in every game, and rushed for 639 yards on 115 carries, a 5.6-yard average.

On Monday, Peterson gained 94 yards on 24 carries. He has gone six straight games without a 100-yard effort, the longest drought of his three-year career.

Finishing in a funk: It's no secret that Vikings quarterback Brett Favre has struggled late in the season for the past five years. Including Monday's overtime loss to the Bears, Favre has won just 12 of 27 games played after Thanksgiving since 2005, and his personal statistics are much worse: 23 touchdown passes and 43 interceptions. In games against the Bears after Thanksgiving, Favre has thrown 6 TD passes and 7 interceptions since 2005 and has a 1-4 record.

Favre has been even worse on the road in cold weather. He had lost eight games in a row as a visitor when the game-time temperature was 38 or below.

Down and out: Rookie wide receiver Johnny Knox suffered a left ankle injury late in the third quarter after a 31-yard kickoff return and was carted off the field.

Defensive back Charles Tillman was taken from the field on a stretcher in the fourth quarter after colliding with teammate Craig Steltz on a completion to the Vikings' Visanthe Shiancoe.

Tillman suffered a rib injury and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

Someone's watching: Just as in every losing season, extensive changes are expected by the time the Bears go to training camp next year.

But players know that even if they aren't back with the same team, someone will be watching.

"As far as next year, I have no idea what's going to happen with anything," said offensive right tackle Kevin Shaffer, who started his fourth straight game Monday night. "That's just all speculation. But every time there's a film, it doesn't say on the film what our record was or if somebody was hurt or that we've got two games left.

"You've got to show your best product every game. People analyze you and judge you and grade you based on that, so you can't give up at the end of the game or give up at the end of the year. You've just got to keep battling, do the best you can every game and that's what I try to do."

Hot in the cold: Going into Monday night's game, the Bears were 9-0 at home since the start of the 2005 season when the game-time temperature is 32 or lower.

Monday night's game-time temperature was in the upper 20s and expected to drop into the low 20s by the end of the night.

Sitting it out: Punter Richmond McGee, who was signed Monday afternoon, was inactive for the game when regular punter Brad Maynard decided he could play through a groin injury.

If Maynard would have aggravated the injury and could not continue, kicker Robbie Gould would be the emergency punter. Maynard is also the Bears' holder on place kicks, and if he were inactive, tight end Desmond Clark would handle those duties.

Both starting safeties - Al Afalava (knee) and Kevin Payne (ankle) - were inactive, and second-year player Craig Steltz got his first NFL start along with five-year veteran Josh Bullocks. For the third straight game, wide receiver Devin Hester was out with a calf strain that wasn't expected to keep him out nearly so long.

The Bears' other inactives were wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias, who has been inactive for all 15 games; guard Lance Louis, who was active the previous three games but did not play; offensive tackles James Marten, who was promoted from the practice squad Dec. 14; and defensive tackle Matt Toeaina, who was inactive for the 14th time and has played in one game.