MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota’s recruiting pitch to Brett Favre was heavy on the no-pressure part: just steady the offense, let the running game and defense do most of the work, and join in the fun.
The Vikings are enjoying themselves, but Favre’s surgically repaired right arm is doing a whole lot of work.
Favre completed 32-of-48 passes for a season-high 392 yards and three touchdowns, and the Vikings intercepted Jay Cutler twice in a 36-10 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
“I figured we’d have to throw it some,” Favre said. “I didn’t come just to hand it off. I love to play.”
But the 40-year-old has been surprised by how much he has been heaving the ball. The Bears were blitzing and playing a soft zone coverage a lot in the first half to bottle up Adrian Peterson, so coach Brad Childress ordered offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell to keep calling for passes.
That’s fine by Favre.
“It’s not like I wake up in the morning and don’t have any aches and pains, because I do,” Favre said. “But my arm feels great.”
The Vikings (10-1) outgained the Bears 537 yards to 169 and breezed to their fifth straight win, despite two more fumbles and a pedestrian 85 yards on 25 carries by Peterson, whose short, late touchdown run put Minnesota over 32 points for the sixth time this season.
The Vikings had 31 first downs, the Bears just eight.
“I think pride is going to become an issue here,” Bears defensive end Alex Brown said. “It’s going to be heart, pride and who really enjoys playing the game of football.”
The Bears (4-7) ran 12 plays in the second half — and netted 2 yards.
“It’s a tough one,” said Cutler, who completed 18-of-23 passes for 147 yards and one touchdown. “With as good a football team that I think we have in here, to go out week after week and not live up to our own expectations, that’s the tough part.”
Cutler, who has 20 interceptions on the season, had 18 last season with the Broncos and 14 the year before with Denver.
