Stellar Peterson slaps Bears

Chicago linebacker Lance Briggs said this past week that Adrian Peterson has been so good against the Bears that he has their number. Bears coach Lovie Smith took it a step further and called the Vikings star running back the best player in the NFL.

Nothing happened Sunday night to change their opinion.

Peterson faced a Bears defense that was stacked to stop him, but he kept pounding away before finishing with 131 yards rushing on 28 carries in a 34-14 victory at the Metrodome.

"We wanted to establish the run game, and we did that," he said.

Peterson absorbed a number of tough hits and gang tackles and limped to the sideline after a run early in the fourth quarter, flexing his knee. But he wasn't done. Peterson returned and capped his night with a 1-yard touchdown run to give the Vikings a comfortable 31-14 lead.

"It was pretty physical, and I expected that playing against the Bears," he said. "They have a heck of a defense. You have to go out there with the mindset and the determination that you have to get every yard you can."

Peterson's performance came as no surprise given his track record against the Bears. He had rushed for 423 yards and seven touchdowns in three career games against them, including a 224-yard, three-touchdown effort last season.

Asked whether he was aware of the success he's had against the Bears, Peterson said with a straight face, "Not really."

He smiled. Of course he knows.

"I really feel like we match up well against those guys," he said.

The Bears clearly made an effort to neutralize Peterson, but he powered his way through their defense. Literally in some cases.

Peterson rushed for 100 yards on 14 carries in the first half, and he had to work hard for every one. Two plays in particular told the story:

• Seven Bears defenders hit Peterson as he pinballed his way up the middle for an 11-yard run in the first quarter.

• Briggs and cornerback Corey Graham had Peterson under wraps on a run up the middle in the second quarter. But Peterson somehow wriggled free and ran 59 yards to the Bears 6-yard line, setting up a field goal.

"I saw the backside crashing me and really I thought I was tackled," he said. "But I made a good spin and it was off to the races."

Peterson finished with his first 100-yard rushing performance in three weeks and reclaimed the NFL lead in rushing from Washington's Clinton Portis. Peterson now has 1,311 yards on the season.

"This is a big game so I was out there fighting for every yard I could get," he said. "I just kept my feet moving. Keep your feet moving because you never know what's going to happen. I just kept fighting."