For Vikings, Game With Bears Is Big

Jerry Burns, a man of few words, doesn’t need too many adjectives when asked about the unbeaten Chicago Bears.

“They have the best defense in football. They move the ball and they score,” the Minnesota Vikings coach said. “They beat us 23-0 two weeks ago. They’re the world champions. What more can you say about them?”

Nothing, except that Burns’ Vikings are looking forward to today’s rematch at the Metrodome.

“I think this is the biggest game of this season,” said Viking defensive tackle Tim Newton. “This game is going to determine whether we’re going to be in the playoffs.

“We beat the 49ers last week and some say they have the best offense in the league. If we beat this team (the Bears) here, we feel like we’ll be in the playoffs.”

It’s only the seventh week of the NFL season, but Newton and the revamped Minnesota defense can’t help but look ahead. The Vikings rallied to beat San Francisco, 27-24, on Chuck Nelson’s 28-yard field goal in overtime last week, while the Bears defeated Houston, 20-7, in what Coach Mike Ditka called a poorly played game.

“We won. We did not play good. We can play better,” said Ditka, also known to chose his words carefully.

“There ain’t gonna be no blowouts every week,” Chicago linebacker Otis Wilson said. “People aren’t going to let you do that. They’re getting paid just like we are.”

The Bears defense appears to have adjusted to new coordinator Vince Tobin. After giving up 31 points to Cleveland in the season opener, Chicago has allowed just 36 points in its last five games and has 13 sacks in the last three games. Seven of those sacks came at Viking quarterback Tommy Kramer’s expense.

Kramer had entered the Minnesota-Chicago game No. 1 among NFC quarterbacks, but left battered as the Bears held the Vikings’ offense to 159 yards. Kramer rebounded against San Francisco, completing 26 of 41 passes for 326 yards,the 18th time he has topped 300 yards passing and the first time this year.

In his first extensive playing time, wide receiver Anthony Carter caught 4 passes for 77 yards and 3 touchdowns against San Francisco, his best outing of the year. Carter came off the injured reserve list in time for the first Minnesota-Chicago game at Soldier Field, but caught just one pass.

Kramer has thrown 13 touchdown passes this season--tops among NFC quarterbacks--and 5 interceptions. He has not practiced much this week due to a bruised chest, but will start against the Bears, who have a sore quarterback of their own.

Once again, Jim McMahon is listed as questionable for today’s game due to back and shoulder injuries. McMahon hit 13 of 33 passes for 209 yards against Houston after missing most of practice the previous week, but has not thrown much in practice this week.

McMahon has won his last 21 starts, and 30 of his last 34. The Bears have not lost to an NFC Central team since a 20-14 defeat to Green Bay on Dec. 9, 1984, and have not lost on the road against a division opponent since Dec. 4, 1983, also against Green Bay.

Chicago running back Walter Payton surpassed the 20,000 combined-yardage mark last week with a 106-yard offensive performance against Houston.

His two-yard touchdown run against the Oilers was the 103rd rushing touchdown of his career, placing him behind Jim Brown (106) and John Riggins (104) on the NFL all-time list. He has rushed for 100 yards 12 times against the Vikings in 22 games, including a 275-yard outing Nov. 20, 1977, which is the NFL record for rushing yards in a single game.