Vikings Sack Bears for 41-13 Victory : NFC: Minnesota also controls the NFL’s best rushing attack and strengthens its bid for a playoff spot by dominating in its fourth consecutive victory.

MINNEAPOLIS —  The Minnesota Vikings continue to turn their season around.

The Vikings won for the fourth consecutive time Sunday by recording seven sacks and stifling the NFL’s best rushing attack in a 41-13 romp over the Chicago Bears.

The Vikings (5-6), who are trying to make the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year, have not been beaten since they ended a five-game losing streak that began with a 19-16 loss to the Bears (9-2).

“The Bears are the No. 1 team in our division,” Viking Coach Jerry Burns said. “I’ve said all along that we’ve been getting better. I just hope it’s not too late.”

The Bears--who rushed for 215 yards in their first game against the Vikings on Sept. 23 and had been averaging 170 rushing yards a game--were limited to 107 yards, most of which were gained after Minnesota had the game well in hand.

“They’ll be tough from here on out,” said Bear Coach Mike Ditka, whose team will have to wait at least another week to clinch its sixth NFC Central title in seven years. “We gave them a lot of confidence, and I’ll be surprised if they are not in the playoffs.”

Minnesota looked like the team that led the league in defense in 1988 and 1989. The Vikings held Anderson, who entered the game as the NFL’s sixth-leading rusher with 758 yards, to 48 yards.

“Every time I had the ball,” said Anderson, “there were quite a few of them around me.”

Linebacker Mike Merriweather led the Vikings with 12 tackles, 1 1/2 sacks and a fumble return for a touchdown.

“Everybody just did their jobs,” said Merriweather, who gave the Vikings a 41-3 third-quarter lead when he stripped the ball from Anderson and ran 33 yards for a touchdown. “I don’t want to tell on myself, but I was trying to do too much last time. This week, it was emphasized that everyone should concentrate on their own assignments.”

The Vikings also played extremely well on offense, scoring on all six first-half possessions en route to their most decisive victory over the Bears since winning, 35-7, in 1982.

Quarterback Rich Gannon completed 12 of 19 passes for 146 yards and three touchdowns. All three scoring plays in the first half came during a streak in which Gannon connected on nine consecutive attempts.

Gannon’s performance helped him keep the job that he inherited when Wade Wilson was injured in the first game against the Bears. Wilson was reactivated Sunday but didn’t play until 4:12 remained.

“Gannon is our quarterback,” said Burns, who had said earlier in the week that Wilson didn’t deserve to lose his job because of an injury.

Said Wilson: “Rich is playing outstanding and we’re winning. He should stay in the lineup.”

Gannon agrees.

“I think I’m playing well. We’re winning,” said Gannon, who had no passes intercepted for the second consecutive game. “I’m not going to worry about Burnsie yanking me. I can’t play like that.

“The only thing I can do about a quarterback controversy is go out and play well. I’m not going out there against Green Bay next week looking over my shoulder.”

Gannon didn’t play well early, completing only one of his first five passes and the Vikings settled for field goals by Fuad Reveiz of 41 and 45 yards on their first two possessions.

But Gannon got hot and connected on touchdown pass plays of 17 yards to Herschel Walker, five yards to Hassan Jones and 22 yards to Anthony Carter. Gannon’s clutch passing also kept several drives alive as the Vikings surged to a 34-3 lead at halftime.

Walker, who helped key last week’s victory over the Seattle, gained 58 yards in 16 carries and scored on a two-yard run that gave the Vikings a 13-0 first-quarter lead.

Walker also returned three kickoffs for 101 yards, including a 64-yarder on the opening kickoff.

“The opening kickoff return by Herschel set the tone,” Wilson said. “It was the most complete victory we’ve had this season and our most dominating in awhile.”

Chicago’s only points in the first half came on a 40-yard field goal by Kevin Butler after the Vikings already led, 27-0. The Bears, the NFL’s fifth-ranked defensive team, did not force a punt until six minutes into the second half.

Chicago, which had won six consecutive games, scored its only touchdown on a 10-yard touchdown pass play from Jim Harbaugh to Mark Green that made it 41-10 with 2:27 left in the third quarter.

Harbaugh completed 17 of 26 passes for 157 yards.

“Once the truck hit me, I did not bother getting up,” Ditka said of the blowout. “I just laid there and watched.”