For the third time in six years, Lovie Smith and the Chicago Bears are going back to the playoffs. Yes, the Chicago Bears. In a season where the Green Bay Packers, led by the impeccable Aaron Rodgers, were the perennial favorites for the division and representatives of the NFC in Dallas, it is the often criticized Jay Cutler who will hope to take his team to south Texas in February. Even the Minnesota Vikings, who were one play from reaching the Super Bowl in a heart wrenching NFC Championship loss last season, were given better odds at making the playoffs than Chicago. But on a cold Monday night in Minnesota, the Bears beat the Vikings at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium, clinching the NFC North in a game filled with all sorts of history.
Devin Hester became the all time leader in kickoff and punt returns for touchdowns (14), accomplishing this impressive feat in only his fifth season. Brett Favre, who was not even listed as the starting QB for the Vikings on Sunday, started the game but left in the first half after being thrown to the turf by Bears rookie Corey Wootton. Also for only the third time since 1989, the Bears scored 40 points in a road victory. The Bears next step will be to finish the regular season with the New York Jets coming to Soldier Field in week 16.
The Jets, who were told starting QB Mark Sanchez will be able to start, as his MRI came back Monday, are looking for the AFC wild-card berth when they visit the lake front. For now, the Bears will savor this victory, but even Lovie Smith will remind the media and his team, that the season is not over and the Bears still have to take care of business next week.
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