Facing a potential three-game losing streak, the Chicago Bears are hoping for Jay Cutler 's return.

The Minnesota Vikings surely don't share that sentiment.

With Cutler's status still up in the air, the Bears may have to rely on a better performance from backup Jason Campbell as they try to continue their dominance of the rested Vikings on Sunday at Soldier Field.

Cutler is trying to return from a concussion suffered in a 13-6 home loss to Houston two weeks ago. He sat out Monday's 32-7 loss at San Francisco, while Campbell connected on 14 of 22 passes for 107 yards with one touchdown, two picks and six sacks.

That performance left offensive coordinator Mike Tice itching for Cutler's return against the Vikings (6-4).

"God, I hope (he can play)," Tice said. "I do, I really do. Not anything against Jason. Jason did a remarkable job based on the opportunities he was afforded. We've got to get our guy back."

Cutler has been given the go-ahead to practice on a limited basis, but still has to be cleared by an independent neurologist to play Sunday.

"You trust the doctors and our training staff that we're going to make the right decision for my health, not only in the near future but in my lifetime going forward," Cutler said.

"I think everyone's perspective has changed (regarding concussions) because there is just more awareness, there is more information. (But) it's not going to change the way I play football. It's not going to change my desire to return to the field by any means."

Minnesota would certainly prefer if Cutler had to sit again. He's led Chicago (7-3) to wins in each of his last four starts in this series, with three coming at Soldier Field.

He's tossed 12 touchdowns compared to four interceptions with a 104.5 passer rating in those contests.

The Bears beat the Vikings 17-13 on the road in Week 17 last season as Josh McCown filled in for an injured Cutler. McCown would serve as Campbell's backup if Cutler can't go.

The Bears have won 10 of the last 11 home meetings with Minnesota, including four in a row. Overall, they've won five straight, one shy of their longest run in the series set from 1983-86.

"You're going to play a great team on their home field, a place that we've struggled at," Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway said. "But this is a new year, a new team. And I think we're going to have a focus going in there that we're going to give ourselves a chance."

Another strong performance from Adrian Peterson should improve Minnesota's chances.

Peterson leads the league with 1,128 rushing yards, averaging 5.8 per carry with seven touchdowns. He's gained 629 of those yards and scored five times on 82 carries over the last four games.

Peterson came up big again prior to the Vikings' bye two weeks ago, carrying the ball 27 times for 171 yards - with 61 coming on a fourth-quarter TD in a 34-24 win over Detroit.

After averaging 138.5 yards per game and 6.2 per carry while scoring eight TDs in his first four games against Chicago, Peterson has been limited to 67.3 per contest - and 3.4 a touch - on the ground while scoring four times in his last four.

The Bears enter this matchup with the league's fifth-ranked defense (311.9 yards per game), but the team seems to be defined by turnovers. Chicago is plus-18 in the turnover department in its seven wins and minus-6 in its three losses.

It didn't force one for the first time all season in San Francisco, and also continued to struggle against the run. The Bears have allowed an average of 131.5 yards on the ground in their last four games - 60.5 more than they surrendered during their first six.

Still, coach Lovie Smith is looking on the bright side since Chicago is tied with Green Bay for first place in the North.

"We have to take 7-3 into it," Smith said. "And I'm not disappointed in us being at the top of our division with the best record, tied for the best record in our division. That's the football team that we are."

The Bears' leaky offensive line has allowed 34 sacks - second-most in the league - and that's great news for Jared Allen . Minnesota's star defensive end has 13 sacks in eight games versus Chicago - 4 1/2 in two meetings last season.

"There has to be a sense of urgency, and this game is as big as it gets this week," Allen said. "Might as well be the Super Bowl for this week. Then we'll move on to next week."

Cutler sharp as Bears beat Vikings, 28-10

CHICAGO (AP) -- The Chicago Bears got Jay Cutler back from a concussion, only to lose three more stars to injuries.

Start with Devin Hester . Add Matt Forte and Charles Tillman to the list, and just for good measure, throw in two starting guards.

Consider this a painful win.

Cutler threw for 188 yards and a touchdown after missing a game, and the Bears broke it open early in a 28-10 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

The injuries, however, tempered some of the good feelings.

Tied with Green Bay for the NFC North lead and just a game ahead of Minnesota (6-5) coming in, the Bears (8-3) grabbed a 25-3 halftime lead thanks to Cutler's pinpoint passing. The defense held Adrian Peterson in check early on, although he finished with 108 yards rushing.

Chicago also came away with three more takeaways to increase its total from a league-leading 30 entering the game to 33.

The rather easy win came after back-to-back losses to Houston and San Francisco, but it also came with a heavy price.

The Bears lost Hester, a receiver and record-setting return specialist, early to a concussion. And that was just the start.

Forte, their top running back, hobbled to the tunnel midway through the third quarter with an ankle injury. Coach Lovie Smith said Tillman, their star cornerback, also hurt his ankle.

Besides those three, the Bears lost both guards in the third quarter to knee sprains, with Lance Louis and Chris Spencer going down. Louis' injury on a blindside hit by Jared Allen as Antoine Winfield returned an interception forced Chicago to go with Gabe Carimi , who lost the right tackle job to Jonathan Scott .

Spencer, meanwhile, was in the lineup after Chilo Rachal left the team.

If the Bears are going to develop any continuity on the line, well, don't expect it anytime soon.

"I don't think it's possible now," Cutler said. "With all the moving parts we have and Lance going down, you're not going to have that. We're going to have to roll with the guys we have and see what we have, lean on our defense as we have before, run the ball well. Be efficient through the air. See how far we go."

As for Cutler, he looked sharp after missing Monday's blowout loss at San Francisco.

Back after being knocked out of the Texans game on a helmet-to-helmet hit by Tim Dobbins , he got off to a scorching start and completed 23 of 31 passes with an interception to go with his TD.

"I felt good," Cutler said. "It was a matter of going through the motions, talking to the doctors. I had a good week of practice, a shorter week with the Monday game and Thanksgiving."

Brandon Marshall caught 12 passes for 92 yards and became the first Bears receiver since Marty Booker in 2002 to go over 1,000 yards. He now has 1,017 yards this season, his sixth straight with 1,000 or more.

"In the third quarter, I leaned over to Jay and said, `That catch puts me at 1,000 yards for six seasons in a row.' And he looked at me and said, `You're disgusting,"' Marshall, the Bears' big offseason acquisition, said, laughing.

He added he knew he was closing in because followers on Twitter had mentioned it.

On defense, Henry Melton set the tone by sacking Christian Ponder on the first play from scrimmage. Nick Roach set up the first touchdown by knocking the ball out of Peterson's hands. Chris Conte set another TD with a 35-yard interception return, and Julius Peppers blocked a field goal.

The league's leading rusher, Peterson tied Robert Smith's club record with a 100-yard performance for the fifth straight game even though he managed just 25 in the first half. He also lost two fumbles and had to catch a cab to the stadium and arrived about 90 minutes before kickoff, according to reports.

Ponder wasn't much help, going 22 of 43 with 159 yards and a touchdown along with an interception. His favorite target, Percy Harvin , sat out his second straight game with a sprained left ankle, and the Vikings lost for the third time in four games.

"We knew what we were getting into," Peterson said. "They wanted to make a statement. I thought it was more so what we did, giving the ball away, not making routine plays. Can't wait to see them again."

He won't have to wait long, with the Bears visiting Minnesota on Dec. 9.

Cutler completed 15 of 17 passes for 117 yards in the first half, and the Bears jumped out a big lead after a shaky start on offense.

Forte fumbled on Chicago's first play from scrimmage, leading to a 40-yard field goal by Blair Walsh - all the scoring the Vikings did in the half.

The Bears broke it open late in the second half.

Bush scored from the 1 and holder Adam Podlesh ran in for a 2-point conversion that made it 18-3.

Ponder got picked off by Conte and he returned it 35 yards to the Minnesota 13. That led to a scoring strike from Cutler to a lunging Matt Spaeth on the next play.

NOTES: Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said he and Peterson were going to have a talk about punctuality after Sunday's delayed arrival. "There is something that Adrian and I need to talk about regarding getting to the stadium," he said. ... Allen thought his hit on Louis after Winfield's interception was a clean one. "I turned around, he was running to make a tackle and I threw myself into him to make a block. My condolences to him and his family. I never, ever, try and intentionally hurt anybody."

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