Bears 28, Vikings 10
Michael Bush had a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs and the Chicago defense smothered Christian Ponder in a one-sided win over visiting Minnesota.
Jay Cutler threw for 188 yards and a touchdown in his return from a concussion and the Bears (8-3) forced three turnovers to bounce back from a decisive loss to San Francisco last Monday. Brandon Marshall was Cutler's top target, hauling in 12 passes for 92 yards.
Ponder was just 22-of-43 for 159 yards with a TD and an interception for the Vikings (6-5), who came out flat in their first game after the bye. Adrian Peterson rumbled for 108 yards - his fifth straight 100-yard rushing effort - but had a hand in a pair of fumbles.
Chicago jumped in front near the midway point of the first quarter after a Peterson fumble led to a Bush TD plunge. Bush added a second short score late in the first half, and a Ponder interception in the final two minutes set up Cutler's 13-yard scoring strike Matt Spaeth for a 25-3 Chicago lead at the break.
Minnesota closed the cap on a 2-yard TD pass from Ponder to tight end Kyle Rudolph early in the third quarter. The Vikings turned the ball over on downs at the Chicago 8-yard line and had a costly fumble on a drive in the second half of the fourth quarter to quash a rally.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Peterson tied Robert Smith as the only Minnesota players with five consecutive 100-yard rushing games. Peterson, the NFL's leading rusher, has racked up 737 yards during the streak. ... Bears RB Matt Forte had 14 carries for 42 yards before leaving with an ankle injury in the third quarter. It's the same ankle that forced Forte to miss time earlier in the season. ... Vikings SS Harrison Smith was knocked out of the game early in the second half. He suffered a suspected concussion and did not return.