Players 'know who won' 2004 BCS title, Carroll says

The decision to strip USC of its 2004 title was "unfortunate," according to Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, the man at the helm of the Trojans program when it committed NCAA violations, most involving current New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush.

Carroll told 710 ESPN Los Angeles that the players on those teams still consider themselves champions.

"Just watch the comments of the players. They know. They know who won and who didn't," he said. "You've heard from (Matt) Leinart and Lofa Tatupu and those kinds of guys, they all know. The whole thing is so unfortunate. It's just so far off-base, it's just too bad."

USC was stripped of its title on Monday by The Bowl Championship Series after the Trojans were hit with heavy NCAA sanctions last year, when it ruled that Bush received improper extra benefits during the 2004 and 2005 seasons and was ineligible when he played. USC's appeal was denied on May 26.

When Pat Haden took over as athletic director last year, one of his first moves was to give back the school's copy of the Heisman Trophy that Bush won in 2005. The whereabouts of Bush's own Heisman, which he said he would relinquish, were briefly in question before the San Diego Hall of Champions announced that the trophy is part of the institution's collection.

The BCS waited until USC appealed the NCAA sanctions, which included a two-year ban from postseason play and a loss of 30 scholarships over three seasons, to make a decision about its championship.

Carroll, who led USC to an 83-19 record in nine seasons but saw 14 of those wins vacated, said he was not surprised by the move, but was disappointed.

"Nothing that's happened has changed my thoughts," he said. "It's unfortunate that kids, years after, are punished for something the NCAA is dealing with from years and years before. Kids that were in junior high at the time, or in grade school, are paying the price for it."

With Ohio State now in the spotlight for similar allegations of improper player benefits, Carroll would not compare the two situations but said any decision by the NCAA would be tricky.

"I think this is a major challenge for the NCAA because of what they have done in the past here recently. I don't know how they're going to possibly make sense out of all this," he said. "It's going to be very challenging and it'll be very interesting to see what happens."

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What he's most interested in, he says, is the outcome of the "not-so-secret" meetings between NFL owners and players, which are expected to continue on a more frequent basis.

"This was the time they had to work through all of these issues that have come up over the years and it is a long, hard process. ... I'm optimistic we'll get to camp and we'll get going. It's already been different in the preparation and the buildup to it, but ultimately no one wants to miss football. Everybody wants to play. The owners want to play, the players want to play, the coaches want to coach and all of that.

"The effort that you're seeing in these meetings is the urgency that they're sensing that they've got to work together and they have to come to conclusions so they can make the season available for everyone."

The Seahawks, who used their first two draft picks on Alabama OT James Carpenter (No. 25) and Wisconsin G John Moffitt (No. 75) in April's draft, will do the best they can to get ready once football activities resume. Carroll -- while staying mum on the team's plans at quarterback -- acknowledged it might be harder for younger teams to catch up.

"We're building a program," he said. "We've got issues across the board as we transition our approach and trying to put this team together. There's a lot of concerns. We really need free agency to help us. We love the draft as it came out, and got to put a lot of focus on the offensive line and some young skills guys to give us some speed and competitive players."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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USC stripped of 2004 BCS title game victory vs. Oklahoma

The Bowl Championship Series stripped Southern California of its 2004 title on Monday, leaving that season without a BCS champion.

The announcement was no surprise. BCS officials had said USC was in danger of having its championship vacated after the Trojans were hit with heavy NCAA sanctions last year for rules violations committed during the 2004 and 2005 seasons.

"The BCS alerted us today that their presidents have voted to vacate USC's 2005 BCS championship game victory," USC athletic director Pat Haden said. "This was not an unexpected outcome. We will comply with all requirements mandated by the result of this BCS vote."

The NCAA ruled star tailback Reggie Bush -- later drafted by the New Orleans Saints -- received improper extra benefits during those seasons and was ineligible when he played.

One of Haden's first moves when he took over as AD last year was to give back the school's copy of the Heisman Trophy that Bush won in 2005. Bush later relinquished his own Heisman and the trust in charge of handing out the award announced the '05 winner would be left vacant.

The BCS waited until USC appealed the NCAA sanctions, which included a two-year ban from postseason play and a loss of 30 scholarships over three seasons, to make a decision about its championship. The NCAA denied USC's appeal on May 26.

At that point, it was just a matter of time before the Trojans' 55-19 victory against Oklahoma in the 2005 Orange Bowl was wiped from the record books.

The dominant performance capped a perfect season by USC and left it ranked at the top of both the AP and coaches' polls. Auburn and Utah also finished that season undefeated.

The Trojans will not have to relinquish The Associated Press national championship.

"The BCS arrangement crowns a national champion, and the BCS games are showcase events for postseason football," BCS executive director Bill Hancock said in a statement. "One of the best ways of ensuring that they remain so is for us to foster full compliance with NCAA rules. Accordingly, in keeping with the NCAA's recent action, USC's appearances are being vacated."

The BCS also said the Trojans must vacate their participation in 2006 Rose Bowl. USC lost that game, 41-38, and the national championship to Texas.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Robustelli, who helped Giants to '56 title, passes away at 85

STAMFORD, Conn. -- Football Hall of Famer Andy Robustelli, who played for the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams during a 14-year NFL career, has died. He was 85.

"He was one of the greatest players in franchise history, and one of the finest, most dignified gentlemen you could ever meet," Giants President John Mara said. "Andy was a man's man in every respect."

It wasn't immediately clear where and when Robustelli died. His death was first reported by The Stamford Advocate.

The 6-foot-1, 230-pound defensive end played for the Rams from 1951-55 and the Giants from 1956-64, but his arrival in New York ushered in one of the greatest eras in Giants' football.

New York won the 1956 NFL championship in Robustelli's first season. They won five more conference championships during his tenure, in 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962 and 1963. Robustelli played on a winning team in 13 of his 14 pro seasons and played in eight NFL championship games.

Despite his relatively small stature for a defensive lineman, determination, speed and intelligence made Andy Robustelli one of the NFL's best pass rushers of his era, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. More ...

"Andy was a great leader. When he came to us from the Rams, it turned everything around defensively," fellow Hall of Famer Frank Gifford said. "He fit perfectly into Tom Landry's defense. Tom Landry was such a leader in putting defense into pro football and Andy was one of the key components of that."

Robustelli was selected to seven Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-NFL pick seven times, two with the Rams and five with the Giants. He was also a three-time second-team All-Pro choice. In 1962, the Maxwell Club selected Robustelli as the NFL's top player, an honor then usually given to an offensive player.

"He was far and away above the other defensive ends of his era," Gifford said. "Andy was not all that big, but he was very quick. With Andy and Tom Landry, it was almost scary the anticipation that they had of what was going to be run. He and Tom were very, very close. Whereas Tom was the overall defensive coach, Andy basically ran the defensive line along with the linebackers. He was the leader. Everyone knew that. He was the leader in the clubhouse. He was quiet. But when Andy talked, everyone listened."

Robustelli played in 175 regular-season games in his 14-year career, missing only one because of injury. In his last three years with the Giants, he was a player-coach.

Robustelli was the Giants' Director of Operations -- what is now called general manager -- from 1974-78, prior to George Young's arrival. During his tenure, the Giants drafted Hall of Famer Harry Carson, as well as such standout players as George Martin, Gary Jeter and Gordon King.

"Andy is someone I looked up to fiercely," said Martin, who played for the Giants from 1975-88 and is now the executive director and president of the NFL Alumni Association. "I think he was legendary among all ballplayers, but especially within the illustrious Giants' history."

Martin said Robustelli never stopped coaching, even when he was working in the front office.

"Andy was always giving you tips about the game -- here's your general manager coming out to give you some words of advice," Martin said. "For a young man, particularly a rookie, those were like words from heaven. Although our styles were different and the eras in which we played in were completely different, one of the things I know I tried hard to copy was the tenacity that Andy had, because it's transferable no matter what era you played in."

After leaving the Giants, Robustelli was a successful businessman in his native Connecticut.

Born in Stamford, he played football and baseball at Stamford High before enlisting in the U.S. Navy at age 18. During World War II, Robustelli served on the USS William C. Cole in the Pacific Theater. When he returned from war, Robustelli attended Arnold College in nearby Bridgeport. He made his family home in Stamford, where he ran a successful travel agency.

Robustelli's wife, Jeanne, died in April. She was 84. The couple had nine children, 29 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Report: Cutler took painkiller shot at halftime of NFC title game

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was criticized when he appeared unwilling to play after suffering a knee injury in an NFC Championship Game loss to the Green Bay Packers.

But a source close to the situation told the Chicago Sun-Times on Wednesday that Cutler received a painkiller shot at halftime in an effort to finish the Jan. 23 game.

Cutler injured his left knee during the first half and left for good after the first series of the third quarter. He was replaced by Todd Collins, who was later supplanted by Caleb Hanie in the Bears' 21-14 loss.

In the locker room at halftime, the Bears planned to play the remainder of the game without Cutler, according to the source, but he insisted on trying the painkiller and playing in the second half.

After Collins entered the game, Cutler's toughness was questioned by players around the league, while his teammates spent the days after the loss defending their quarterback.

An MRI revealed that Cutler suffered a Grade II tear of his medial collateral ligament.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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Seahawks become first team to win division title with sub-.500 record

SEATTLE -- Pulled over his dapper shirt-and-tie combo, Leon Washington proudly wore a blue NFC West division champion T-shirt and hat.

Pete Carroll thought it was "pretty cool" to be going to the playoffs with a losing record.

Make jokes and laugh all you want at the Seattle Seahawks making the postseason as the champions of the weakest division in football, and with a losing record.

But they're not going to be embarrassed for setting some dubious NFL history on their way to the playoffs.

"There is no apologies for making it into the playoffs. The easiest way to make it to the playoffs is to win your division, period, point-blank," Seattle safety Lawyer Milloy said. "We did that."

The Seahawks became the first-sub. 500 division champs on Sunday night with a 16-6 win over the St. Louis Rams to wrap up their first division title since 2007. They secured a home playoff date with defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans on Saturday.

Seattle finished a laughable 7-9 and tied with St. Louis, but won the title thanks to a better division record than St. Louis, 4-2 vs. 3-3.

"I guess we won for all the teams that have a losing record and think they can't be champions. It can get done, you can do it," Carroll said. "Somehow it happened."

Critics have gladly taken shots about the NFC Worst, er, West this season and reignited the debate whether division champs should automatically be granted home playoff games. The New York Giants and Tampa Bay have better records within the NFC at 10-6 and both clubbed Seattle earlier this season.

But it's the Seahawks who are playoff-bound.

"It just shows that no matter what happens through an awkward year if a team sticks together they can have a shot at the end to accomplish what they talked about in the beginning," Milloy said. "We know it wasn't pretty getting here, but what we talked about was right there at the end and we took advantage of it. Nobody can take that away from us."

Making his second career start, backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst threw a 4-yard TD pass to Mike Williams on Seattle's first possession and kicker Olindo Mare connected on three second-half field goals.

That was more than enough thanks to a maligned defense that finally found some swagger just in time to rattle St. Louis' rookie quarterback Sam Bradford and end the Rams' feel-good turnaround from a year ago. At this time last year, St. Louis was preparing to draft Bradford with the No. 1 overall pick after winning just one game.

Sunday night, they were despondent after seeing their chance at a division title and becoming the third 8-8 division champ in league history slide away.

"I don't even know if I can tell you right now," Bradford said of his frustration. "The fact our defense played, in my opinion, pretty great, the fact that we let the team down, that we couldn't get anything going, that's what really hurts."

St. Louis (7-9) was kept out of the end zone for the second time this season and Bradford finished 19 of 36 for 155 yards, with a costly interception midway through the fourth quarter.

Seattle's defense that allowed at least 34 points in four of its last five games, suddenly showed a backbone, making St. Louis' conservative offensive approach seem even slower. The Rams managed just 63 yards in the second half and, with the exception of a fumble recovered at the Seattle 21, didn't even cross midfield until midway through the fourth quarter.

And even when the Rams caught a break on Marshawn Lynch's third-quarter fumble, they could only get three points out of it on Josh Brown's 27-yard field goal.

"For the most part we just were out of sync ..." Rams running back Steven Jackson said. "But I don't think they completely shut down the offense."

Now the question for Seattle is who will be the quarterback for its first home playoff game since a January 2008 win over Washington. Carroll was noncommittal late Sunday night who would start against the Saints. Matt Hasselbeck was active against the Rams and went through pregame warmups, but Carroll held to his word and the Seahawks went with Whitehurst after Hasselbeck injured his hip last week against Tampa Bay.

Whitehurst didn't fail in the second start of his career. He wasn't spectacular, but he avoided any critical mistakes: no interceptions, no dumb throws, no miscues a team like Seattle couldn't afford. Carroll said he kept Hasselbeck out fearing the injury would have made him "vulnerable" to the Rams' pass rush.

For his part, Whitehurst did scramble for 30 yards rushing, part of the 141 yards on the ground by the Seahawks.

"You know, this is what I love to do, this is what we all love to do, this is why we're here," Whitehurst said. "So after the first few plays it's kind of business as usual."

Whitehurst finished 22 of 36 for 192 yards with his lone touchdown, a 4-yard toss across the field to Williams on Seattle's first drive. Mare connected from 31, 38 and 34 yards in the second half and Seattle spent the final minute with Carroll screaming into the air and players slapping hands with fans in the end zone.

"It's been rough the last couple years," Seattle running back Justin Forsett said. "I've never been in this position before. I just want to seize it and run with it."

While the Seahawks could celebrate, Steven Jackson slumped on the bench in the final minutes after the Rams' best offensive threat went mostly unused. Jackson had just 11 carries for 45 yards, continuing a streak of failing to crack 100 yards in his career against the Seahawks.

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When the Rams did cross midfield in the fourth quarter, down just 13-7, Bradford followed with his one big mistake, an interception thrown right at linebacker Will Herring, the first pick of his career.

Seattle then ran off the next 7 minutes as Mare connected from 34 yards with 1:37 left, ending the Rams' chance at their first division title since 2003.

"It's just frustrating to get this far and have an opportunity to make the playoffs, and to come up short," Bradford said. "Just frustrating."

Notes: Seattle G Chester Pitts left in the second half with a head injury and did not return. ... Seattle LT Russell Okung left briefly in the first half after injuring his left ankle, but returned after halftime. Seattle had just seven active offensive linemen. ... Jackson was the Rams' leading receiver with four receptions for 39 yards. ... St. Louis has lost 11 of 12 to Seattle.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Chiefs clinch AFC West title with win over Titans, Chargers loss

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- With Kansas City's greatest one-year turnaround came great reward.

Three hours after racing past Tennessee 34-14 Sunday, the Chiefs became AFC West champions when Cincinnati upended four-time defending champion San Diego.

Kansas City did what it needed to do and dominated Tennessee. Later, the Chiefs got a gift when Cincinnati upended San Diego, handing them the AFC West title. Take a look at the playoff picture. More ...

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The Chargers' loss gave Kansas City (10-5) its first division title since Dick Vermeil's 2003 Chiefs went 13-3. Kansas City's 10 wins in Todd Haley's second season as coach are six better than last year's 4-12 mark and match the total of the past three miserable seasons combined.

Minutes after beating the Titans, the Chiefs knew their playoff goal was oh, so close, and were in no mood to celebrate their historic turnaround.

"It just means we were just that bad last year," guard Brian Waters said. "Our goal is to get to the next part of the season."

They are there, although everyone around Arrowhead Stadium has been trying to avoid even saying the word "playoffs" all week. There was obvious pride in winning 10 games; in the Chiefs' first 50 years, five wins had been the biggest one-year improvement.

"It's a huge accomplishment," said quarterback Matt Cassel, who threw three touchdown passes in the first half against the Titans.

"It's a huge turnaround for us, being 4-12 and going through the year we did last year. I know there's a ton of adversity and all those things were very difficult to handle at times. But to be here with 10 wins on our season and one win away from a division championship -- I mean, it's remarkable to say the least."

Cassel connected with Jamaal Charles for touchdowns on Kansas City's first two possessions and Eric Berry returned an interception 54 yards for another score as the Chiefs raced to a 31-7 halftime lead. Cassel hit 12 of his first 13 passes.

The Titans (6-9) spent much of the game dropping passes, missing arm tackles and piling up penalties while losing for the seventh time in eight games.

Dwayne Bowe had six catches for 153 yards, including a career-long 75-yard touchdown as the Chiefs remained unbeaten in seven home games.

The Chiefs had 327 of their 458 total yards and all but three of their points while rolling up a 31-7 halftime lead.

"The game got out of reach early," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. "You've got to execute to near-perfection when you get down like we were and we just didn't do that."

A couple of times in the ragged second half, it seemed fights were about to break out. By the end of the third quarter, each team had three unnecessary roughness penalties.

"It's just two physical teams going at it," Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers said. "Wasn't nobody going to back down. So when you get two teams like that, stuff like that is going to happen."

The Titans, one of the league's most penalized teams, were flagged nine times for 74 yards, while the Chiefs uncharacteristically drew seven penalties for 84.

Chris Johnson, the fourth-leading rusher in the NFL, had only 58 yards on 14 carries for the Titans.

"It's always disappointing when you're not able to run the ball. Anytime you get down like we were, there's not much you can do," he said. "They were stacking the box. But that's not why I didn't have a big day. It's the number of touches that I had. When you go down by that many points, it's going to be hard to have a big day."

In his second game since undergoing an emergency appendectomy on Dec. 8, Cassel was 24 for 34 for 314 yards and three TDs. He was not intercepted.

Kerry Collins, nearing the end of his 16th season, hit a career milestone that gave him little satisfaction. On his 53-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Britt in the second quarter, he became the 12th quarterback to go over 40,000 yards passing. He also connected with Jared Cook on a 22-yard touchdown pass and was 14 for 37 for 235 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted twice.

"There will be time for me to think about it and I understand it's an accomplishment," he said. "But the emotions are so bitter over today and the way the season has gone, it's just hard to feel good about it." Cassel was 4 for 4 on Kansas City's first possession, capping it with a screen pass to Charles that went 14 yards. After a Titans punt, Cassel was 6 for 7 in a 10-play, 61-yard drive. On second down from the 5, he tossed a perfectly timed fade pass to Charles in the corner of the zone for a 14-0 lead.

On Kansas City's next possession, Ryan Succop made a 35-yard field goal. He also kicked a 42-yarder in the third.

Bowe, whose hot-and-cold season has included a two-game stretch where he had only one catch, got behind the secondary on a third-and-19 play from the Kansas City 25. Hauling in Cassel's pass near the 50, he quickly changed direction and sprinted into the end zone for the 75-yard touchdown play.

With 22 seconds left in the half, Berry stepped in front of a receiver and weaved 54 yards into the end zone. The rookie safety broke two feeble attempts at arm tackles and avoided two more attempts before diving into the end zone for his first NFL touchdown and a 31-7 lead.

"That was awesome," he said. "The D-line got great pressure and I just came up with the ball. I think the pressure from the D-line forced the throw. Right after they got the pressure, they turned around and started blocking."

Notes: In the first quarter, Marc Mariani broke the Titans' franchise record for kickoff return yards of 1,317 set by Bobby Jancik in 1963. ... It was the seventh time this season a Chiefs opponent failed to score in the first quarter. ... Bowe and Charles are the Chiefs' third WR-RB combo to go over 1,000 yards receiving-running in a season. ... The announced crowd of 65,606 was the smallest of the year at Arrowhead. ... Thomas Jones fumbled in the fourth quarter, ending his streak of touches without a fumble at 862.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Bears knock out Favre, Vikings to win first NFC North title since 2006

MINNEAPOLIS -- Bundled up on the sideline in a heavy, gray coat, Brett Favre could only watch as Devin Hester and the Chicago Bears sped through the snow to the NFC North title.

Favre's surprise start ended with a concussion, perhaps putting him out for good, and the Bears spoiled Minnesota's first outdoor home game in 29 years.

Vikings quarterback Brett Favre made a surprise start Monday, but a second quarter head injury cut short what was likely the final home start of his Hall of Fame career.  More ...

Hester set the NFL record with his 14th kick return touchdown, running back a punt 64 yards for a score shortly after halftime to help the Bears fly past the Vikings 40-14 on a frosty, hard-hitting Monday night.

"You play long enough, you're going to get your bell rung," Favre said.

Jay Cutler threw for three scores for the Bears (10-4), who last won this division during their 2006 Super Bowl season. Hester caught one of Cutler's touchdown passes and also took back the second-half kickoff 79 yards to set up a field goal a few minutes before his game-breaking punt return made it 27-7.

That was Hester's 14th career return touchdown, kickoff or punt, breaking Brian Mitchell's previous mark.

"Don't dwell on this," Hester said. "It's the record-breaker, but there's going to be a lot more. I guarantee you that."

Favre doesn't have many, if any, left. He finished 5 for 7 for 63 yards before the big hit by Corey Wootton, and the Vikings (5-9) fell apart in front of their proud alumni in town for the franchise's 50th anniversary celebration featuring all kinds of blasts from the past.

With the Metrodome unusable because of a roof collapse, the game was moved to the University of Minnesota. TCF Bank Stadium was about 80 percent full, with snowballs flying from the seats -- sometimes hitting players -- and plenty of frolicking in the flakes.

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Favre wasn't even supposed to play, but his sprained throwing shoulder suddenly felt better this weekend. His NFL-record starts streak over, he still wanted to play once more in front of the Vikings fans that embraced him so warmly after booing him for so long as a member of the Packers.

He passed his pregame throwing test and trotted out in front of the Minnesota fans one last time, finding Percy Harvin for a 23-yard TD to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead after the opening drive.

"There were a few friendly wagers in the quarterback room on whether Brett would be out there," said Cutler, who had a cut on his chin after a hit from Antoine Winfield and played with a big bandage. "I wasn't surprised at all."

Favre managed one more joyful jump on a teammate's back to celebrate a touchdown, piggybacking right guard Ryan Cook before embracing Harvin and raising his left arm in triumph as he jogged off.

"It was a great opening drive," Favre said. "I probably should've went straight up the tunnel after that. But again -- you've got to try sometimes."

Henry Melton tipped Favre's pass on the next Minnesota possession, Julius Peppers intercepted it at the 14 and Robbie Gould kicked a field goal. The next drive was a three-and-out, and Favre had to hustle back and smother the ball after a high snap slipped through his hands. Cutler zipped a 67-yard pass up the sideline over safety Madieu Williams to a streaking Johnny Knox, and the Bears built a 10-7 lead they never lost.

In the second quarter, the Vikings lost Favre -- possibly for good.

On third-and-4 from the Bears 48, Wootton got in the backfield and grabbed Favre by his non-throwing shoulder, slamming him to the cold turf players had worried about in the days before the game. The career leader in almost every major statistical category for quarterbacks, Favre lay motionless for a few seconds before climbing to his feet and walking off with his head hung down.

Devin Hester made NFL history on Monday, setting a record with his 14th career return for a touchdown. The Bears star moved ahead of Redskins great Brian Mitchell on the all-time list.  More ...

With a black cap pulled past his eyebrows, Favre grimaced as he put on an oversized purple coat and got ready to watch the rest of the game. Rookie Joe Webb took over, scoring on a 13-yard scramble to the edge of the end zone to cut the lead to 27-14, but the Bears had their way after putting perhaps the final seal on Favre's storied 20-year career.

Favre repeatedly has said this will be his final season. He spoke wistfully of his career after the game, but refused to rule himself out of either of the last two games just yet.

"He can walk away with his legacy intact," Vikings interim coach Leslie Frazier said.

If Favre was diagnosed with a concussion, he'd need to meet NFL guidelines requiring him to be symptom-free and cleared by both a team doctor and independent neurological consultant before he can play again.

The Bears were playing their second straight snow-globe-style game, actually, eager to erase the taste of last week's blowout loss at Soldier Field to the New England Patriots.

They certainly got that done.

"By no means are we completely satisfied," Cutler said. "We know we can be so much better offensively."

Afterthoughts in a division featuring Favre and the reigning champion Vikings plus a dangerous Green Bay team, the Bears didn't buy into the doubts. They've caught several opponents at the right time, including the banged-up Vikings. With Cutler playing better, Hester back in his super-rookie form and the defense relatively healthy again, however, the Bears are feeling just fine.

"It's hard to stop that type of team, when everybody is scoring," Hester said.

Former Vikings coach Bud Grant jogged around the field at halftime in a short-sleeve purple shirt, getting carried off by some of his former players after an inspired ceremony.

With general-admission seating, customers braved the cold in parkas, snowmobile suits and ski caps, celebrating touchdowns with snowball throws and cheering their favorite players from the past as they were introduced at halftime.

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Dozens of workers the massaged the field before the game to make it as playable as possible, with machines pushing snow across the yard lines and into the corners of the brick-lined walls. Crews gently rolled off the tarp before warmups while the flakes kept flying.

Players from both teams expressed concerns this week about the safety of the turf. Vikings punter Chris Kluwe posted on Twitter after Sunday's walkthrough his comparison of the surface to "concrete." He predicted a "trainwreck" and later said he was asked to stop tweeting by the team.

Notes: The temperature at kickoff was 23 degrees, with a windchill of 9. ... The attendance was announced at 40,504. ... Williams left the game with a concussion. ... Chicago's Matt Forte, whose knee to the head knocked Williams out, had 92 yards on 17 carries.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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