Breaks Fall Bears’ Way Kramer Helps Chicago Snap Eight-Game Monday Night Skid

Bad luck is all the Chicago Bears usually have on Monday night. This time, they finally got the break they needed.

Erik Kramer threw two touchdown passes and Albert Fontenot recovered a fumble at his own 19 with 1:32 remaining as the Bears held on for a 14-6 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

Chicago (6-2) ended its NFL-worst eight-game losing streak on Monday nights and took a one-game lead over Green Bay in the NFC Central.

“We ixnayed a lot of demons,” Kramer said. “Coming down to the wire, I’m sure (the Monday night streak) was on a lot of people’s minds. We almost gave it back.”

The Bears were in position for a potential clinching field goal when rookie Rashaan Salaam fumbled and Broderick Thomas recovered at the Minnesota 13 with 2:17 left.

The final drive was delayed when a fan ran onto the field, and it ended when receiver Qadry Ismail was hit by Marty Carter. Fontenot recovered, and the Bears ran out the clock for their fourth straight win.

“I don’t know how good we are yet,” Kramer said. “I’d like to have seen us close this one out and not let them come back. We haven’t done that yet. I can’t make any predictions about the future.”

It left the Vikings (3-5) needing a remarkable turnaround to make Dennis Green only the fourth coach to take his team to the playoffs each of his first four seasons.

“To play that hard and come up with nothing, it’s frustrating,” quarterback Warren Moon said. “It’s going to be tough. We’re going to have to muster all the character we have in that lockerroom. Hopefully we don’t have dissension creeping in there, because when a team is 3-5 at the halfway point, that can happen.”

The Bears came in with a 12-26 record in the 26-year history of Monday Night Football, with the last win coming at the Metrodome on Nov. 11, 1991.

Chicago sacked Moon four times, and the Vikings, who lost their third straight, consistently stalled when they got in scoring position and managed only two field goals by Fuad Reveiz.

Bears 14, Vikings 6

Chicago 0 14 0 0 - 14

Minnesota 0 3 3 0 - 6

Min-FG Reveiz 22

Chi-Flanigan 4 pass from Kramer (Butler kick)

Chi-Conway 48 pass from Kramer (Butler kick)

Min-FG Reveiz 43

A-58,217.

Chi Min First downs 19 19 Rushes-yards 30-80 22-70 Passing 231 227 Punt Returns 3-17 1-8 Kickoff Returns 3-58 2-60 Interceptions Ret. 0-0 0-0 Comp-Att-Int 18-25-0 28-42-0 Sacked-Yards Lost 0-0 4-25 Punts 4-37 3-42 Fumbles-Lost 2-1 2-1 Penalties-Yards 2-41 5-45 Time of Possession 27:40 32:20

Individual statistics RUSHINGChi, Green 11-38, Salaam 14-36, A.Johnson 1-7, T.Carter 1-2, Kramer 3-(minus 3). Min, Lee 7-33, Moon 3-29, S.Graham 8-7, Stewart 4-1. PASSINGChi, Kramer 18-25-0-231. Min, Moon 28-42-0-252. RECEIVINGChi, J.Graham 5-73, T.Carter 4-31, Timpson 2-48, A.Johnson 2-11, Conway 1-48, Jennings 1-10, Flanigan 1-4, Salaam 1-4, Green 1-2. Min, C.Carter 8-68, Ismail 7-49, Reed 6-78, Lee 4-27, Cooper 2-22, Jordan 1-8. MISSED FIELD GOALSNone.