MINNEAPOLIS — Teddy Bridgewater threw for a career-high four touchdowns and flew across the goal line during a scramble for a fifth to lead the Vikings to a 38-17 victory over the Bears on Sunday at the University of Minnesota.
Bridgewater completed 17 of 20 passes for 231 yards and rushed four times for 17 yards.
Minnesota (9-5) swept Chicago (5-9) for the first time since 2007 and has won three in a row in the series for the first time since 1999-2000.
In the first meeting between the teams this season, the Vikings needed late-game heroics from Bridgewater, Stefon Diggs and Blair Walsh for a 10-point rally in the final 1:49.
This time around, however, the trio put points on the board early. Bridgewater perfectly placed a ball over the shoulder of the rookie for a 15-yard touchdown, the first between the duo since Nov. 1 in Chicago.
Walsh followed with a 53-yard field goal that doinked off the left upright and through the posts for a 10-point lead early in the second quarter.
The Bears answered with a 10-yard touchdown from Jay Cutler to Alshon Jeffery, but the Vikings responded with a critical scoring drive before halftime.
Jerick McKinnon stepped in for Adrian Peterson, who suffered an ankle injury during a 9-yard gain. The second-year pro capped the possession with a nifty catch-and-run for a 17-yard score with 26 seconds left for a 17-7 halftime lead. Peterson returned to action and helped seal the victory.
The Bears tried trickery to start the second half and executed an onside kick, but Brian Robison forced and recovered a fumble as he sacked Cutler on the third play of the second half. The play swung momentum back in the Vikings favor, setting up a 33-yard TD from Bridgewater to Diggs.
Bridgewater's 12-yard scramble in the fourth quarter put the Vikings up by 21. The Bears retaliated with a 4-yard TD from Cutler to Forte, but that's as close as it got.
A check-down pass from Bridgewater to fullback Zach Line on a rollout provided the final points. Line dove across the goal line just inside the pylon.
The Vikings defense harassed Cutler throughout the day, sacking him five times, including 1.5 by rookie Danielle Hunter.
