Blair Walsh Boots The Game victor In Chicago

"Can't win on the road". Diggs replaced Johnson when the receiver got injured and while head coach Mike Zimmer stressed that the change was not permanent, the Vikings simply can not ignore the play of the rookie.

On Sunday, the Bears had trouble containing Peterson and came up short when it looked like they were ready to pull out the win.

"At this point, we can't point fingers". From the start of the second quarter, until three minutes and 21 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Vikings out gained Detroit 363 yards to 5-yes, you read that correctly. Instead, Johnson - on his only target of the day - came back, leapt and caught the 35-yard pass, taking a pick away from Rolle and setting up the Vikings for the game-winning field goal.

The Bears defense played well before the Diggs touchdown, keeping the Vikings out of the end zone for the game's first 58 minutes.

Those, of course, were the points that made the difference. Matt Slauson moved from left guard to center, Vladimir Ducasse switched from right guard to left guard and Patrick Omameh started at right guard. Tight end Martellus Bennett agreed with that assessment. "Stefon just continues to get better".

"It's like what I told the team - we fought, we battled, and our guys competed", Fox said.

After the game, coach John Fox said that the medical staff has evaluated Forte but that the team wouldn't be sharing any information at this time. For the season now, Forte has 548 rushing yards, 219 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Without him Sunday, the offense was predominantly a passing attack, and rookie backup Jeremy Langford gave the Bears 12 carries for 46 yards.

When Bears quarterback Jay Cutler finally found the weak spot - Sunday it was veteran Terence Newman - in the Vikings' secondary, he drilled that matchup into submission.

Forte's value to the Bears is vast.

Cutler capped off a 14-play drive in the fourth quarter when he called his own number and took on Harrison Smith at the goal line - Smith with a great hit - but officials ruled it a touchdown putting the bears up 20-13.

"Ballsy effort by Jay", right tackle Kyle Long said, a sentiment echoed by wide receiver Alshon Jeffery.

"That's what you want from a quarterback", Jeffery said. "He played his (butt) off".

With the Vikings down by seven late, Diggs caught a pass at the 30-yard line after a quick break that may have helped the defender slip.

Cameron Meredith, Bruce Gaston, Ka'Deem Carey and Terrance Mitchell are also on the Bears' inactives list for the game. "I think down the stretch you've got to coach it better, you've got to make plays when they're there to be had".

Marc Mariani muffed punts on Minnesota's first two possessions. Mariani was charged with two fumbles. But Forte missed the final four games of 2011 with a Grade 2 MCL sprain, and a sprain typically takes a player down for a minimum of two weeks.