There is a lot to take from Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings – most likely the second consecutive year an unexplainable loss to the Vikes on the road will cost the Bears a chance at the playoffs. Here is the rapid fire recap from Sunday’s disappointing performance.

• People who want to blame Marc Trestman for attempting the overtime field goal on second down are simply lost causes. Chicago has the most accurate kicker in the history of the sport! He makes that kick in his sleep! Why risk a mistake on offense? Robbie Gould should have made the damn kick.
• Bears also should have never had the chance to make the kick.
• Craig Steltz wasn’t great today but there is no way on earth Major Wright should go back to the starting safety role. Steltz earned the right to start next week. Hell, I’ll be there.
• Julius Peppers delivered a magnificent first half.
• Alshon Jeffery delivered the most magnificent performance by a wide receiver in the history of the Chicago Bears.
• Numbers can be confusing. Josh McCown’s numbers were brilliant Sunday. His performance was not. The Bears needed Cutler’s accuracy and arm strength against the Vikings.
• Hey Kyle Long, don’t catch footballs.
• Hey Josh McCown, don’t act like Brett Favre. Take the sacks…and occasionally throw the football away.
• Bears need to stop pretending they have some power running game. They don’t. Their short yardage runs have been abysmal.
• 4th and 11 defines the season, defines the defense, defines the futility.

• Matt Forte is a terrific running back. But you saw the difference today between a terrific running back and a powerful running back. AP gets every inch on third and one, regardless of blocking. Forte doesn’t.
• Jon Bostic should be ashamed of himself. What did he make, three plays all game? Does he need to be taunting after one of them?
• Worst thing that happened to the Bears Sunday? Ponder got hurt.
• Can’t remember a quieter performance from Jared Allen in a Bears v. Vikings game.
• I thought Adam Podlesh had a nice day punting the football. Nothing great but at least he dropped the ball nicely around the ten instead of pounding it through the end zone.
• On Josh McCown: his numbers are wildly deceiving. McCown has proven himself to be a wonderful backup but if people think the Bears offense can thrive with him over the course of a sixteen-game season, they are lost. McCown can accumulate yards, sure, but he can’t execute with the precision required in the red zone. And that is the sport. (Anybody else miss the Cutler throws to Bennett at the back of the end zone and the Cutler back shoulders to his receivers at the goal line?)

Is the season over? No. Is it close? It sure is. The Bears now need a two-game swing with Detroit over the last month of the season. They also need something else: their starting quarterback to return in the howling Soldier Field winds Monday night against the Cowboys.