Well, the Vikings’ MNF game didn’t involve flawless football — what Bears game does? — but Kevin O’Connell’s team got the job done. The end result is a 12-2 record that puts them in a tie with the Detroit Lions for the top spot in the NFC North and the conference more broadly.
The final score finished at 30-12 once the final whistle sounded. Taking down the Bears is never easy, so O’Connell and the Vikings will take the win however it arrives. Sam Darnold finished his day with solid but unspectacular numbers, going 24/40 for 231 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception.
The Vikings’ MNF Game Against the Bears
The opening half contained both good and bad moments for the Vikings.
Most notably, Sam Darnold found Justin Jefferson in the endzone to put Minnesota ahead by a score of 10-0. That’s after Will Reichard bounced back by drilling a 52-yard field goal. Prior to the half, Reichard stepped onto the field to get another shot at converting a field goal; the rookie didn’t miss, pushing the lead up to 13-0.
Some of Darnold’s passes were off in the opening half — as commentator Troy Aikman noted — but the QB1 did a nice job of spreading the ball around. Jefferson and Jordan Addison were featured prominently. T.J. Hockenson got involved in the final couple minutes but there were also passes completed to Aaron Jones, Brandon Powell, and Jalen Nailor.
Again, a nice job of spreading the ball around.
The bad news of the opening half was that Brian O’Neill went down with an injury. He was in and out of the lineup a bit, so the status of the star right tackle is going to be something to monitor; his ability to get back into the game is a positive sign. The O’Neill injury is concerning given the status of Christian Darrisaw, who is done for the season. Cam Robinson has done well filling in but he committed several penalties in the game.
As the broadcast noted moving into the half, the Bears didn’t convert a single 3rd or 4th down in the opening half. Credit to Brian Flores and the defense for making life so difficult for Chicago.
Minnesota was sloppy to begin the 2nd half, almost allowing the Bears to get back into the game. A nice drive that featured plenty of Jones runs, though, helped to stop the bleeding as the Vikings went into the 4th sitting on a 20-3 lead.
Chicago promptly made the game 20-6 in the 4th, prompting Minnesota to respond by putting the game away. And, to their credit, Minnesota did so.
Helped by a long pass interference penalty that occurred in the endzone on Jordan Addison, Minnesota pushed their lead up to 27-6 with a Cam Akers running score. The RB2 showed good balance and physicality in bringing the ball across the goal line.
Things got a bit dicey toward the end when a Ryan Wright punt was blocked, leading to Chicago’s first and only touchdown. Curiously, Minnesota still drained the bench even though the Bears were facing a short field. In the end, though, it didn’t matter. Minnesota marched down the field to kick a field goal with less than two minutes to play, bringing things back to a three-score game by pushing things up to 30-12. The game ended at that score.
Minnesota’s next game is going to take place on Sunday, December 22nd. The Vikings will be travelling to Seattle to take on the Seahawks, a team that’s sitting on an 8-6 record.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter, as a co-host for Notes from the North, and as the proprietor at The Vikings Gazette, a humble Vikings Substack.
