For the fourth straight time in his career, Peterson had a big game against Chicago. He carried 28 times for 131 yards and a touchdown. That gives him 554 yards and eight touchdowns in four games against the Bears.

"I really feel like we match up good against those guys," Peterson said. "The guys up front, that's where it starts."

It was a rough-and-tumble contest, and Vikings fans gasped to see Peterson trotting off with a slight limp in the fourth quarter. But afterward he said it was no big deal.

"You get little nicks and stuff during the game," he said. "You get on the sideline and shake it off.

"It was very physical down there, and I was expecting that coming into this game. We were playing against the Bears, and they have a great defense. So we had to go out there with the determination that we had to fight for every yard that we could."

On his 59-yard run, he bounced out of a scrum at the line. Three Bears had their hands on him before he twisted free.

"I just kept my feet moving," he said. "You never know what's going to happen. Just keep your feet moving and keep fighting."

Chester Taylor carried 10 times for 46 yards and a touchdown. He also caught four passes for 19 yards.

"It really involves the whole running back group," Peterson said of the game plan. "(Naufahu) Tahi made some big blocks, and Chester came in and made some big plays. We wanted to come in and establish the running game, and we did that."

Peterson has a 138.5-yard average in his four games against the Bears. Now he and the Vikings sit alone in first place.

"Yeah, it's big," he said. "Next game, that's our biggest game."