MINNEAPOLIS – Bryce Callahan provided the top Bears highlight in Sunday's 23-10 season-ending loss to the Vikings, returning a punt 59 yards for a touchdown on a trick play.
The entire Bears return unit acted as if Ryan Quigley's punt was headed toward Tarik Cohen to their right when it actually was going to the opposite side of the field to Callahan, who started the play down on one knee just a few feet from the sideline.
"I was trying not to give anything away," Callahan said. "We had some guys stand by me on the sideline to kind of hide me, so it worked out. Hopefully the plan is for them not to see me. I had to kneel down one or two yards from the sideline. If the punt is from the hash over, I stay down and let Tarik get it. If it's from the hash to my side, I get it."
Get an insider's look at a Bears game day with these behind-the-scenes photos and angles that the TV cameras didn't capture at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Callahan's touchdown cut the Vikings' lead to 14-7 with 5:50 left in the first half, but that's as close as the Bears would get the rest of the way.
Ground up: The Bears struggled with their running game, mustering just 30 yards on 15 carries. They were limited to minus-one yard on six attempts in the first half.
"It's frustrating," said center Hroniss Grasu. "We know as an offense we've got to get our run game going to really excel. We didn't get it going early. They did a hell of a job stopping us."
With left guard Josh Sitton and right tackle Bobby Massie both inactive due to injuries, the Bears played Charles Leno Jr. at left tackle, Cody Whitehair at left guard, Grasu at center, Tom Compton at right guard and Bradley Sowell at right tackle.
"All season long it's been tough to get the same five guys in there, but it's not an excuse," Grasu said. "The whole group is really, really close on and off the field, so when we go in there it helps being friends off the field and staying close on the field."
In the books: With 20 completions Sunday, Mitchell Trubisky set a Bears rookie record with 196 on the season, breaking the mark of 190 by Kyle Orton in 2005.
Trubisky also broke Orton's rookie record for passing yards last week against the Browns, finishing the season with 2,193 after throwing for 178 yards Sunday in Minnesota.
Select company: With six receptions Sunday, Cohen finished the season with 53 catches, the third most by a Bears rookie behind running back Matt Forte with 63 in 2008 and Hall of Fame tight end Mike Ditka with 56 in 1961.
Young guns: Of the Bears' 31 touchdowns this season, rookies had a hand in 17 of those scores (54.8 percent). It's the third highest percentage since 1933, topped only in 1975 (72.7 percent) and 1982 (62.5 percent).
