MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Three times in a row, Chicago Bears running backs slammed into the line from the Minnesota 1, looking for a commanding second-quarter lead over the Vikings.

Three times in a row, those backs met a Williams Wall that didn't give an inch.

When Matt Forte was thrown backward on fourth down, a look of disgust and disappointment washed over coach Lovie Smith's face.

That was only the beginning.

On the very next play, Gus Frerotte threw a 99-yard touchdown pass to Bernard Berrian, and the Vikings were off and running to a 34-14 victory that vaulted them into first place in the NFC North.

"Our guys really believe that if you give them a blade of grass, they can defend it," Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said.

Trailing 7-3 midway through the second quarter, a proud veteran defense didn't have much more than that between it and an 11-point deficit. Forte's 26-yard run gave Chicago a first-and-goal at the 1.

But after Kyle Orton's pass to Greg Olsen was incomplete, the Vikings stuffed Forte, fullback Jason Davis and then Forte again in a stand that inspired the rest of their team and deflated the Bears (6-6).

"I felt like we needed a touchdown in that situation," Smith said. "You've got to be able to get it in from there. If you don't get it in from there, you probably don't deserve to win."

If that wasn't the back-breaker, it came a few seconds later in the same building where Denver's Tony Dorsett broke off a 99-yard TD run against the Vikings in 1983.

This time, the Vikings were on the other end of it when Berrian ran a go route down the sideline and cornerback Charles Tillman drifted toward the middle of the field and tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.

As Frerotte let the pass go, "I was just thinking, 'Why is he so wide open? What's going on?'"

The pass was right on the money and Berrian won a foot race to the end zone for a 10-7 lead. The Vikings then forced a punt, and Frerotte marched the team 86 yards in eight plays, culminating with his 1-yard scoring sneak that gave Minnesota a 17-7 lead going into halftime.

"It was pretty much a playoff game tonight," said Berrian, who had four catches for 122 yards. "We're in control now."

With possible suspensions of star defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams looming and a tough December that includes games against Arizona, Atlanta and the New York Giants, the Vikings (7-5) needed this one in the worst way.

Adrian Peterson rushed for 131 yards and a score, Frerotte completed 16 of 25 passes for 210 yards with a touchdown and an interception and Jared Allen had three sacks for a defense that overwhelmed Orton and the Bears in the second half.

Minnesota intercepted three passes in the final two quarters, ending Orton's franchise-record string of 206 passes without an interception.

He completed just 11 of 29 passes for 153 yards, with his lone bright spot a 65-yard TD to Devin Hester that gave Chicago a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.

"Disappointing loss for our football team," Smith said. "We have four games to go. We controlled our destiny before tonight, now we need a little bit of help."

With three home games against Jacksonville, New Orleans and Green Bay preceding the regular season finale at Houston, the Bears aren't out of it just yet. But they know it's not going to be easy to claw their way back into it.

"We're definitely running out of time with four games to go ... but we still have time," Smith said. "Nothing has been decided right now. We're one game out of first place. We need a little bit of help."

Notes:@ Former Vikings DT John Randle, who ranks third on the franchise's career sacks list, was inducted into the team's "Ring of Honor" in a halftime ceremony. ... Berrian's big play was the 11th 99-yard pass play in NFL history and longest play in team history by 10 yards. ... Forte finished with 96 yards on 22 carries and caught a touchdown.