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Adrian Peterson tops 100 yards again as Vikings roll - Now the Bears must try to hold off another December malaise under coach Lovie Smith.
Bears' December collapse looks familiar - Jon Greenberg: Will another Bears' December collapse cost Lovie Smith his job?
You can fire Lovie Smith right now - Rosendoom: Uninspired and unprepared for a divisional opponent in a must-win game, Smith's Bears have become a bad team losing to bad teams.
Team report - Because they couldn't contain AP early and fell into a 14-0 hole they could never climb out of, the Bears' playoff chances continue to dim.
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Bears-Vikings game reports & news
Game box score - We lost to a team whose QB threw for 91 yards and a QB rating of 53.8.
Q1 observations - David Haugh: So far, so bad.
Q2 observations - Dan Pompei: Tell me again how the Bears would not miss Brian Urlacher.
Halftime Adjustments - Michael C. Wright: MOAR Brandon Marshall.
Bears fall to Vikings 21-14 - Larry Mayer: Determined to make amends Sunday in Minnesota for last weekend's late meltdown against the Seahawks, the Bears instead picked up right where they had left off.
Larry Mayer's game blog - "Well, I've good news and bad news! The good news is that my internet connection has been restored and the bad news is that ... my internet connection has been restored."
Bears lose 21-14 to Vikings - Brad Biggs: Bears dig themselves in a quick 14-0 hole and couldn't recover in a 21-14 loss to the Vikings.
AP’s start keyed Vikings’ success against Bears - Adam L. Jahns: Minnesota’s first play from scrimmage was a punch to the mouth right from the outset, and it turned out to be the Vikings’ only true offensive highlight. But it was enough to ignite them.
[Video] View from the Moon - MM on the team's feelings after losing four of the last five.
Great start to Bears’ season a distant memory after loss to Vikings - Sean Jensen: There are many routes to the Super Bowl dais. On Sunday, the Bears took all the wrong turns.
[Video] Game recap - Cris Carter breaks down the Vikings' 21-14 win over the Bears.
Bears quotes - Q. Why weren't you able to recover after that first drive -- was it confidence? Lovie: "If I knew that, we would have done a little bit more about it."
View from the enemy - Tom Powers: With an offensive game plan right out of the 1950s and a QB-hounding, old-school defense, the Vikings were able to surprise the Bears.
View from the enemy - Cutler might have gone down only twice, but he might have run the equivalent of a 5K behind the line of scrimmage.
Game notes - Larry Mayer: AP shreds Bears early in Sunday's game; injury notes, and more.
Game notes - Fred Mitchell: The pain of Sunday's loss was exacerbated by more injuries to key Bears; plus, more game notes.
Game notes - Mark Potash's notes from the game, including injury news.
Photos - Staley the Bear > the Vikings' mascot. So there's that.
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More game analysis
Rapid Reaction - Michael C. Wright: In addition to falling a full game behind the Packers, the Bears seem to be trending the wrong way at the wrong time of the year.
[Video] PGL analysis - The PGL team discusses the Bears' injuries and if they're avoidable, and the 3rd & 1 call.
Matt Bowen's playbook - How did AP burn the Bears on the first play? Looking at Peterson's 51-yard run vs. Under 10.
Five things we learned - Jeff Dickerson goes over five things we learned against the Vikings. One of the five is positive (Marshall is really good).
Brad Biggs' Four downs - Peterson makes 'em pay; Bears managed to lose the game despite allowing only 91 yards passing; stretch run looks like a make-or-break proposition for Lovie Smith.
[Video] Wright & Dickerson - Jeff Dickerson and Michael C. Wright after Bears' fourth loss in five games.
Marshall eclipses Booker's receptions record - Larry Mayer: Brandon Marshall provided a bright spot in Sunday's loss, catching 10 more passes (for 160 yards) to set a Bears single-season record with 101 receptions.
Marshall: 'It sucks' breaking record in loss - Scott Krinch: Brandon Marshall broke the Bears all-time single season reception total in Sunday's loss to the Vikings, but it wasn't the way he wanted to do it. Antoine Winfield: Marshall is the best receiver in the game.
Loss spoils another huge day by Marshall - Fred Mitchell: Brandon Marshall caught 10 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown Sunday to give him 101 catches for 1,342 yards this season, but the Bears' loss to the Vikings left Marshall in no mood to celebrate his individual success.
Smith: Bears facing a ‘one-game season’ - Following the loss in Minnesota, Bears coach Lovie Smith now looks ahead to what he called a "one-game season" -- an all-important game against rival Green Bay.
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Bears' woes
Bears say they have to play better – but can they? - Moon Mullin: With the Bears' playoff window shutting fast, the team understands it has to pick up its play in the final three games of the regular season. But are they capable of doing that?
Bears’ receivers allow shot at victory to slip through their fingers - Sean Jensen: Accountability isn’t an issue, but three games remain, and accountability must give way to consistency and reliability.
Bears victimized by their receivers again - Jeff Dickerson: The worst thing a struggling offense can afford to do is to leave plays on the field. Receiver miscues plagued the Bears again Sunday.
Cutler flops in the clutch - Dan Pompei: Bears needed QB to step up and he failed to deliver. Because QBs can stop receivers from slipping on routes and dropping passes.
Bears in free-fall - Dan Bernstein: Not too long ago, you were buying that “Peanut Punch” t-shirt (Den: Does he mean Sackman's design?). The 1-4 record since has been the harsh light of truth burning away layer after layer of wishful thinking.
No matter which way you spin it, it’s still a loss - Rick Morrissey: “We’re still in position to accomplish all of the goals that we set out for early on.’’ Oh, be quiet, Lovie Smith. Don’t patronize us.
Bears must 'win out.' What if they don't? - Kevin Seifert: The Bears are now 0-6 in their past two Decembers, and watching them Sunday made you wonder if they are nearing the end of an era.
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Game grades
Michael C. Wright's Report Card - Week 14 Report Card: Too many lapses.
3 Bears - Fred Mitchell: Marshall, Hester, Forte... but whose porridge is which?
Moon Mullin's grades: Offense - A 'bad' offense finds ways to lose.
Moon Mullin's grades: Defense & STs - The numbers were generally in the Bears’ favor but one good Minnesota drive was one too many.
[Video] PGL's Monsters of the Midway - The PGL crew on who stood out for them.
Grading the Bears - Mark Potash: The Bears continue to waste the greatest season one of their receivers has had.
Adam Hoge's grades - Defense bad, Offense worse, Coaching worst.
Because we're all annoyed and the Packers' visit on Sunday won't help, this seems as good a week as any for Kev's guest "Punk Covers of Popular Songs" week - A Thorn For Every Heart covers Oingo Boingo's "Dead Man's Party"