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Vikings seeking fifth straight win

Dec 17, 2007 - 12:20 PM Chicago (5-8) at Minnesota (7-6) Monday 8:30 pm EST

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- As the Minnesota Vikings surge toward a playoff berth, the Chicago Bears are on the verge of missing the postseason.

The Vikings seek their fifth consecutive victory when they host the Bears on Monday night in an NFC North clash.

Following the improbable four-game winning streak, Minnesota controls its own destiny, holding a one-game lead over the New Orleans Saints, Washington Redskins and Detroit Lions in the wild card chase.

A 34-0 loss to the Green Bay Packers on November 11 dropped the Vikings to 3-6, a defeat that was magnified when rookie running back Adrian Peterson - the league's leading rusher at the time - suffered a knee injury.

Chester Taylor stepped in for Peterson the following week and ran for three touchdowns in a 29-22 victory over the Oakland Raiders.

The season really turned one week later in a stunning 41-17 road win over the New York Giants. Taylor ran for another score and the Vikings' defense returned three interceptions for touchdowns in the rout.

Minnesota then posted back-to-back lopsided victories over Detroit and San Francisco, and have outscored its last three opponents, 110-34 - the first time in franchise history the Vikings have won three straight games by at least 20 points.

Second-year quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, who was close to losing his job earlier in the season, completed 16-of-25 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown in last week's win over the 49ers.

That helped offset a season-worst effort by Peterson, who managed just three yards rushing on 14 carries.

"Each game, each play you learn something," Jackson said. "That's the mind-set I'm taking. Everything in the NFL is a process and I'm just trying to learn and continue to take small steps right now."

Much like their division rival, the Bears' season changed in a matchup with the Giants. Chicago carried a 16-7 lead into the fourth quarter at home and was poised to climb to the .500 mark, but New York scored twice in the final 6:54 to steal a win.

A 24-16 loss to the Washington Redskins four days later all but KO'd the Bears' playoff chances and knocked out quarterback Rex Grossman for the season with a left knee injury.

Kyle Orton, who has not played in a regular-season game since 2005, will start in Grossman's place for Chicago, which must do a better job of containing Peterson.

When the teams met on October 14, Peterson ran over the Bears by for 224 yards, including touchdown runs of 67, 73 and 35 yards.