But Minnesota has rebounded - helped in part by playing in a mediocre division - and will play host to the Chicago Bears on Sunday night in a game that will be for first place in the NFC North.

Both teams are 6-5, with the Vikings having won three of their past four, including a 30-12 victory over host Jacksonville on Sunday. That win was big because it gave the Vikings a split of their two-game trip to Florida. Minnesota had lost, 19-13, on Nov. 16 at Tampa Bay.

Sunday's game is crucial for the Vikings in part because they lost 48-41 at Soldier Field in October and another defeat against the Bears would give Chicago the tie-breaker edge and essentially put it up by two games in the division race.

"We've got to get back in the film room and look at what they did to us last time," Vikings defensive end Brian Robison said. "Make sure that we don't allow things like that to happen again."

The Vikings actually should have won that game, but two costly mistakes cost them 14 points. The first came in the opening quarter when Chris Kluwe dropped a punt deep in Chicago territory and then kicked at it on the ground. The ball went right into the hands of the Bears' Garrett Wolfe at the 17-yard line. Wolfe scored easily.

The Bears got another odd score in the third quarter when Vikings punt returner Charles Gordon had the ball hit him and bounce into the Minnesota end zone. The Bears' Rashied Davis recovered for a touchdown.

The Vikings can't make those mistakes again if they hope to beat the Bears before a national television audience.

"This week is a big week for us to get sole possession, hopefully," Vikings safety Darren Sharper said. "We've shown in the past the ability to put stretches together, and now would be the perfect time to do that.

"We're still taking it one game at a time. This game right here is a huge game. A rivalry game, an NFC North opponent and we're doing it at home. We're excited about it and our total focus is on this week."

As for just how big this game is for the Vikings and Childress, that matter is up for debate.

Asked if Sunday's game is maybe one of the biggest in his two-plus seasons in Minnesota, Childress said: "I don't know. I think I've been asked that about six times in six different games this year. Must win and biggest game as a head coach.

"It's big from the standpoint it's a divisional rivalry and they've beat us once already. You certainly don't want to allow them to beat us twice. I think everybody understands what significance that has. Not to mention that it's a fiercely competed rivalry."

SERIES HISTORY: 95th regular-season meeting. Vikings lead series, 50-42-2, but lost to the Bears 48-41 on Oct. 19 at Soldier Field. Minnesota swept the season series in 2007 after being swept by Chicago the previous year. The Vikings are 3-2 against Chicago on Sunday nights.