Bears 9 - 13 Vikings
Final
  for this game

Vikings down Bears to end season

Dec 28, 2014 - 11:33 PM Minneapolis, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - Teddy Bridgewater had a touchdown pass and Blair Walsh kicked a pair of field goals as the Minnesota Vikings closed out the season with a 13-9 victory over the Chicago Bears.

Bridgewater was 17-of-25 for 209 yards with an interception for the Vikings (7-9), who snapped a two-game losing streak. Matt Asiata carried the ball 19 times for 91 yards.

"Great team win and great to finish the season on a good note," said Bridgewater. "Learned a lot this year and overcame a ton of adversity. Great men with great character."

Jay Cutler, back under center after being benched for last week's game, was 23-of-36 for 172 yards for the Bears (5-11), who dropped their final five games of the season to finish last in the NFC North.

"I thought every week guys came to work," said Cutler. "We had good game plans and the effort was always there, week in and week out."

After missing the playoffs for a seventh time in the past eight years, Chicago might be looking to clean house as head coach Marc Trestman and general manager Phil Emery are on the hot seat.

"I don't have to go into the reasons I expect to be back," said Trestman. "I couldn't look at it any other way, or any other focus. My plan is to continue to finalize my notes now that the season is over so that if the opportunity rises I will be able to explain how we fix this thing."

Minnesota scored on its first touch of the game, as a 13-play, 61-yard drive was finished off with a Walsh 37-yard field goal with 4:59 to play in the first quarter. Minnesota converted a pair of third downs on the drive.

The Bears weren't able to put points on the board until late in the first half, as Jay Feely kicked a 48-yard field goal with just 55 seconds showing on the clock. Alshon Jeffery caught a 19-yard pass on a 3rd-and-8 to keep the drive going.

The Vikings started the second half with the ball, but Bridgewater was picked off by Kyle Fuller, leading to a 25-yard field goal from Feely less than two minutes in.

Minnesota, though, came right back to take the lead, as Bridgewater went deep down the right side for Adam Thielen, who came down with the ball for a 44- yard score, the first of his career.

A 44-yard field goal from Walsh with 11 1/2 minutes to play in the fourth made it a 13-6 game.

Chicago got a big return from Marc Mariani on the ensuing kickoff, as he brought the ball 67 yards down to the Minnesota 35. However, the team moved just 18 yards and Feely's 35-yard field goal made it a four-point game with under nine minutes to play.

Minnesota was able to eat over six minutes of the clock on its next touch and drove the ball down to the Chicago 3. Facing a 4th-and-1, though, Asiata was stuffed.

Cutler's pass on fourth down was complete to Martellus Bennett, but he fell a yard short to turn the ball over on downs, and Bridgewater went into the victory formation.

Game Notes

Minnesota went 5-3 at home this season ... The Bears finished the season 3-5 on the road ... It was the first time Chicago finished last in the division since 2004 ... The Vikings missed the playoffs for a second straight season ... Matt Forte had 51 yards on 17 carries and eight catches for 23 yards for the Bears. He finished the season with 102 catches, the most ever in NFL history for a running back. Larry Centers held the previous record, with 101 catches for the Cardinals in 1995.






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