The Bears stopped Adrian Peterson on Sunday, and that was crucial to the team's win.
The defense set the tone on the very first Vikings' first drive, limiting Peterson and the Vikings to just a field goal.
B. Favre passed to P. Harvin to the right for 2 yard gain, then to J. Dugan to the left for 9 yard gain: Favre and company started the game off well, with a quick first down thanks to passing prowess.
A. Peterson rushed to the right for 2 yard loss: Anthony Adams welcomed Peterson to Soldier Field with a massive hit for a loss.
A. Peterson rushed to the right for 20 yard gain: Running right up the gut, Peterson gained 40 percent of his yardage for the entire game. Be honest, Bears fans. Did you think "here we go again" with that play?
B. Favre passed to A. Peterson to the right for 7 yard gain: The pair connected for a gain that brought the Vikings into Bears territory.
A. Peterson rushed to the left for 4 yard gain: At this point, Peterson looked like a first down machine.
B. Favre passed to V. Shiancoe down the middle for 14 yard gain: Shiancoe was being covered by Brian Urlacher, but still had no problem coming down with the ball.
A. Peterson rushed to the left for 3 yard gain: Julius Peppers' athleticism was shown off well here. Peppers was focused on Favre, but the second Peterson was given the ball, Peppers turned on a dime and chased him down. That's right -- the 6-foot-7, 300-lb. defensive lineman chased down the 6-foot-1, 220-lb running back.
A. Peterson rushed to the right for no gain: This time, Israel Idonije got in on the fun, stopping Peterson before he could get past the line of scrimmage.
A. Peterson rushed to the right for 5 yard gain: A gaggle of Bears kept the Vikings from getting into the end zone on their first drive.
R. Longwell kicked a 36-yard field goal: Vikings 3, Bears 0.
The Bears showed why they have one of the most-feared running defenses in the NFL. Stopping Adrian Peterson is no small feat. No other teams have been able to limit him that much, and the Bears did it where it counted most: in the red zone.
