Bears Let Another Slip Away

Corey Fuller intercepted what would have been a touchdown, and Randy Moss and Cris Carter had touchdown receptions in the second half Sunday as the Minnesota Vikings (4-0) rallied for a 31-28 victory over the Bears.

“They were in a position to kick a field goal, which means we would have had to score a touchdown to tie,” Viking Coach Dennis Green said. “That interception down in the red zone, to take away points, was as much as anything the play of the game.”

Minnesota’s Randall Cunningham and Chicago’s Erik Kramer both threw four touchdown passes. Cunningham finished 16 for 25 for 275 yards, while Kramer was 25 for 29 for a career-best 372 yards.

Chicago’s Bobby Engram caught six passes for 123 yards--all in the first half.

It was yet another second-half collapse for the Bears (0-4), who have led at halftime in all their games. Chicago has been outscored, 44-0, in the third quarter.

As if blowing another game wasn’t bad enough, the Bears also lost receiver Curtis Conway and corner Tom Carter. Conway left the game in the first quarter because of a strained groin. He started even though he’d been bothered by it all week, and is now listed as day-to-day. Carter broke his left collarbone in the first quarter and will be out eight to 10 weeks.

With a 21-17 lead midway through the third quarter, Kramer moved the Bears to the Minnesota 10 and had a wide-open Fabien Bownes in the end zone. But Fuller ran in front of Bownes and tipped it away, bobbled it and then controlled it at the six. He ran 26 yards before being stopped at the 32.

“We know down in the red zone they run double moves,” Fuller said. “I just had a great read.”