Vikings' miserable season ends in misery
Minnesota Sports-- Charles Tillman brought back an interception 22 yards for the eventual game-winning touchdown in the second quarter, as the Chicago Bears edged the Minnesota Vikings, 17-13, in the season-finale for both teams.
Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Charles Tillman brought back an interception 22 yards for the eventual game-winning touchdown in the second quarter, as the Chicago Bears edged the Minnesota Vikings, 17-13, in the season-finale for both teams.
Josh McCown threw for 160 yards with a touchdown and interception on 15- of-25 passing, while Roy Williams hauled in four passes for 60 yards and a touchdown for the Bears (8-8), who snapped a five-game losing skid after beginning the year 7-3.
Vikings defensive end Jared Allen turned in a 3 1/2 sack performance for Minnesota (3-13) to bring his season total to 22, which established a new franchise record for sacks in a season, passing Chris Doleman, who had 21 sacks during the 1989 campaign.Allen ends the year just 1/2 sack shy of the NFL single-season record for sacks, held by former New York Giant Michael Strahan, who notched 22 1/2 sacks in 2001.
Minnesota ended the season with a 3-13 mark, which matches the worst record in franchise history. Head coach Leslie Frasier will likely be on the hot seat heading into the offseason.
Joe Webb threw for 200 yards and two interceptions on 17-of-32 passing after replacing Christian Ponder, who left the game in the second quarter after taking a hard hit from Bears' defensive end Israel Idonije. Percy Harvin had a big day through the air for the Vikings, catching 10 balls for 115 yards.
Chicago's game-winning score came early in the second quarter when Ponder lofted a pass out to Toby Gerhart, but the ball went off the hands of Gerhart and into the arms of Tillman, who took it back for the score to put the Bears up for good, 14-10.
Ryan Longwell connected on a 26-yard field goal with 55 seconds remaining in the first half to cut the deficit to one at the break.
Early in the final quarter, the Bears extended their lead to 17-13 when Robbie Gould capped an impressive 15-play, 65-yard drive with a 27-yard field goal.
The Vikings got the ball on their own six with 1:51 to play for one final try for the win. They moved the ball as far as their own 46, but Webb was picked off by D.J. Moore with 40 seconds left, sealing the win for Chicago.
(http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=nfl/scores/final/W3715.htm)
Tags: minnesota sports, proam, football, vikings
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