Chicago Bears Monday Morning Quarterback

Small steps can make a huge difference. The Bears victory on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings didn't come as a result of their performance rushing the football, but rather their commitment to it.

Running backs Chester Taylor and Matt Forte combined for 102 yards on 32 carries. Aside from quarterback Jay Cutler's 25-yard scramble, the Bears did not have a rushing play go for more than 11 yards. While those plays didn't necessarily eat up chunks of yardage, they put the Bears in manageable third-down situations and kept the Vikings defense off balance.

Chicago's third-down troubles have been well-documented. The team came into Sunday's game last in the league on third-down conversions, successful in only 23 percent of its opportunities. But against Minnesota, the Bears had 11 conversions in 19 tries, most of which were for relatively short yardage.

For the second straight week, the Bears' much-maligned offensive line played well and kept Cutler upright. Cutler was sacked only once and hit only four times over four quarters. It's amazing what consistent pass protection can do for a team's quarterback play.

Once again, Cutler made better decisions with his throws. He was excellent using his feet to scramble for yards or buy time to find a receiver downfield. His only mistake came on his second interception: a bad throw across his body in the red zone.

Overall, Cutler was on his game. He used almost all of his receiving options, completing passes to nine different receivers, including Devin Hester who had fallen out of favor over the past six games.

Hester reminded many that he can be an explosive player in all elements of the game when his run after a catch resulting in the Bears' second touchdown.

Aside from the first quarter, when the Bears defense allowed a number of long runs by running backs Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart, it had yet another dominating performance.

The run defense stiffened in the second half and the secondary largely contained Minnesota's passing attack. The only miscommunication came from Tim Jennings and Chris Harris on Percy Harvin's long TD catch in the second quarter.

In the end, they limited Peterson to a mere 51 yards on 17 carries and forced four Minnesota turnovers, including three interceptions from Brett Favre. Their tackling was phenomenal, allowing very few yards after receptions and the linebackers kept everything in front of them. Israel Idonije continued his play-making ways, deflecting a pass that resulted in a D.J. Moore interception and led to a Robbie Gould field goal.

This was the most complete performance the Bears have had since Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys. They got the job done in a must-win game against a division rival at home. Although Minnesota's 3-6 record might suggest otherwise, this was still a quality opponent.

Put away the doubts and start believing. It's November, and the Bears are a first-place football team (tied at 6-3 with the Greenbay Packers in the NFC North division). Finally, they look like one.

Click here to catch up on the latest NFL team standings.