"Julius Peppers might not win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award, not with the seasons Clay Matthews of the Green Bay Packers and Troy Polamalu of the Steelers are having, but he has been the Bears' defensive MVP.

It's not often that a team pays a player $91.5 million and everybody agrees that it was money well spent.

"There's no one player in the NFL that affects the game on defense more than he does," linebacker Brian Urlacher said "You look at what he does, the schemes people have to do for him. He pretty much eliminates one side of the field. You have to double him. If you don't double him, it's a sack or you throw the ball quick. So it makes our job easy."

It's a rare relationship when both sides are getting everything they want from the other. Peppers is delivering for his new team, and the opposite is also true.

The veteran defensive end chose to sign with the Bears during free agency because he wanted to be part of a top-tier defense for a tradition-rich team. He also wanted to win. Heading into Sunday's game against the Jets at Soldier Field, the Bears are among the league leaders in most defensive categories and have clinched the NFC North.

"It was a long time coming," Peppers said. "It took a couple years to make that decision. Luckily, I chose wisely. It has turned out great. I couldn't be happier with the results about everything — the team's success, my success and how everything has worked out. I still have a couple other things I'd like to get done but right now I couldn't be more pleased."

Peppers' interception of a pass tipped by Henry Melton during Monday night's 40-14 win over the Vikings was his second of the season to go along with eight sacks. He almost had another interception when he nearly caught a pass he batted into the air himself against the Vikings. In all, he has helped create five turnovers this season."