Vikings Stop Bears With Interception : Victory Allows Minnesota to Play Host to the Rams

The Rams were as close to the home-field advantage in the NFC wild-card game as the Chicago Bears were to a go-ahead, 25-yard field goal Monday night in the closing minutes of the regular-season finale against the Minnesota Vikings.

But Walker Lee Ashley picked off Mike Tomczak’s errant pass near the goal line with 2:37 remaining and rumbled 94 yards for a touchdown to help the Vikings hold off the Bears, 28-27, and clinch the home-field advantage in the playoff game.

Minnesota (11-5) will play the Rams (10-6) next Monday at 11:30 a.m. in the first National Football League playoff game at the Metrodome since 1982.

That was made possible by Ashley, who didn’t hesitate to say the interception was the biggest play in his 5-year NFL career.

At the time, the Bears, trailing 21-20, were at Minnesota’s 8-yard line, seemingly in perfect position for Kevin Butler to kick a go-ahead field goal. But on third-and-2, Tomczak dropped back to pass, was rushed by Stafford Mays and threw the ball right into Ashley’s arms.

After making his first interception ever, Ashley sprinted to the left sideline and went untouched for the longest interception return in Viking history and a 28-20 lead.

“They don’t think I can cover,” said Ashley, who is used mostly in short-yardage situations. “They think I’m a little slow, that some backs can outrun me.”

Nobody outran Ashley this time, though.

“I got tired but I saw the end zone and went for it,” he said.

Tomczak came back with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Dennis Gentry with 1:15 remaining, but the Bears’ onside kick was smothered by Minnesota.

Although the Bears (12-4) lost twice to Minnesota, they won their fifth straight NFC Central title. Though the game was not crucial to the Bears, Coach Mike Ditka spent much of night prowling the sidelines, growling and scowling as Minnesota built a 21-0 lead.

The Bears responded with 20 unanswered points, including Tomczak’s 76-yard touchdown pass play to Dennis McKinnon and Neal Anderson’s 51-yard scoring run, to pull within a point in the third period.

Wade Wilson had a hot start for the Vikings, connecting on touchdown passes of 3 yards to Steve Jordan and 18 yards to Alfred Anderson.

But the Pro Bowl quarterback began struggling in the second quarter and was replaced by former starter Tommy Kramer with 1:02 left in the third. Wilson finished with 15 completions in 28 attempts for 164 yards.

Kramer, however, was even worse, completing just 1 of 7 for 13 yards.

Leo Lewis’ 64-yard return of Bryan Wagner’s short punt set up Wilson’s 3-yard flip to Jordan.

The Bears responded with a long drive, but Matt Suhey fumbled at Minnesota’s 9.

Wilson then marched the Vikings 88 yards in an 11-play drive capped by Anderson’s 1-yard scoring run for a 14-0 lead. Wilson completed 4 passes for 46 yards and also ran 15 yards on an option keeper. Maurice Douglass’ 18-yard pass interference penalty on second-and-15 greatly helped the drive.

Anderson became the first Chicago runner other than Walter Payton to have a 1,000-yard season since Gale Sayers in 1969. Payton, the NFL’s career rushing leader, reached 1,000 yards 10 times.

THE ROAD TO MIAMI SATURDAY

AFC WILD CARD

Houston at Cleveland, 10:30 a.m.

MONDAY

NFC WILD CARD

Rams at Minnesota, 11:30 a.m.

DEC. 31 and JAN. 1

Rams or Philadelphia at Chicago, date and time TBA

Minnesota or Philadelphia at San Francisco, date and time TBA

AFC wild-card winner at Buffalo, date and time TBA

Seattle at Cincinnati, date and time TBA

JAN. 8

AFC championship, TBA

NFC championship, TBA

JAN. 22 Super Bowl XXIII, Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, 3 p.m.

All Times PST