Bears Keep Falling Into Trap Green’s Record Perfect In Six Games Against Chicago

Dennis Green owns the Chicago Bears.

Six games, six wins. Blowouts or overtime. Night or day. Inside or outside. Winter or fall.

No matter the circumstances, Green never has lost to the Bears since becoming Minnesota’s coach in 1992. But the NFC Central rivals never have played a game that meant as much as their first-round playoff matchup at the Metrodome today.

“You can’t say, ‘Well, we’ve got these guys licked,’ because this is a playoff game, this is the real deal,” Minnesota receiver Qadry Ismail said. “You don’t sit back and get confident or cocky about yourself. You can’t take anything for granted, because this is a whole new ballgame.”

Still, the Bears (9-7) must be wondering what it takes to beat the Vikings (10-6), division champions for the second time in Green’s three seasons.

After an embarrassing 42-14 home loss in the third week of the season, Chicago appeared ready to snap out of its slump at the Metrodome Dec. 1 when Kevin Butler lined up for a 40-yard field goal in overtime.

But the kick hooked just outside the left upright. Two plays later, Cris Carter beat linebacker Joe Cain for a short reception that Carter turned into the winning 65-yard touchdown.

As the season turned out, Butler’s kick would have given Chicago its first Central title since 1990.

“If the last game would not have come down to overtime, I would say that there would be a definite advantage, possibly psychological and physical, from the Vikings’ standpoint,” said Bears coach Dave Wannstedt, 0-4 against Minnesota.”But I think our guys know they did some good things.”

The Vikings have won the last six against Chicago by an average of 12 points. Throw out two 28-point margins, and the average difference is four.

In the last three games at Minnesota, the Bears have led heading into the fourth quarter. In the last game, they led 24-16, but Minnesota turned a fumble into the go-ahead touchdown, and also returned an interception for a score early in the game.

“The fact that we were in position to win the game despite all the turnovers is a testament to this team’s intestinal fortitude,” Bears quarterback Steve Walsh said.

Desire, more than talent, has sent the Bears to the playoffs for the first time since ‘91, and Walsh has epitomized Chicago’s unlikely run.

An unheralded backup to start the year, Walsh filled in when Erik Kramer was injured, then won the job because he kept winning.

Walsh, a St. Paul, Minn., native, was 7-0 heading into the last meeting with Minnesota, and had completed 64.3 percent of his passes. He is only 1-3 since then, hitting only 54.1 percent, including sub-50 percent performances the last two games.

Walsh knows Wannstedt won’t hesitate to replace him with Kramer should he falter again. But Wannstedt knows he, too, is in a precarious position. Walsh must have confidence, and can’t be looking over his shoulder after ever incompletion.

“I wouldn’t want to go into a game with Steve being concerned that if he didn’t move the team on the opening series or the second series that he was going to be pulled,” Wannstedt said. “That would be unfair. But he knows that we’re going to do things the right way here, and just see how the game unfolds.”

There is no quarterback controversy in Minnesota, but the Vikings’ playoff hopes rest squarely on Warren Moon’s tender left knee.

Injured at Detroit two weeks ago, Moon missed the Central-clinching win over San Francisco Monday night. He practiced Wednesday for the first time since the injury.

He is heading to the Pro Bowl for the seventh time, and is the only NFC quarterback to pass for more than 4,000 yards.