Vikings @ Bears
Final Score: Vikings 30 – Bears 27 OT
Writer: Brendan Boe (@BeeBoeFF on Twitter)
Following a tragic 1-point loss last week, the 4-6 Bears were on a streak of 4 losses as they hosted the 8-2 Vikings in hopes of righting the ship against a tough division rival. Let’s make that 5 losses now, but they fought valiantly in a contest that went into overtime after Chicago’s first onside kick recovery in 2024. The Vikings outmatched and overcame a last-minute comeback attempt, despite Justin Jefferson having minimal impact throughout the game.
Five Up
- Jordan Addison – With 162 yards and a touchdown, he was the most significant piece of the Viking’s offense as he overcame a stout Chicago secondary.
- Bears Receivers – 3 players had at least 10 targets and the one who didn’t had 100+ yards and a touchdown. Airing it out was the game plan, and it worked swimmingly.
- Aaron Jones – Despite losing a fumble, we love to see 100+ yards and a touchdown on 20+ touches. Jones once again succeeds in an undisputed workhorse role.
- Caleb Williams – Over 300 yards on 30+ passes caught, no interceptions, and leading the team into overtime. One of his best performances of the year.
- TJ Hockenson – Over 100 yards on the back of huge catches, and he set up field goal range to lead the Vikings to victory in overtime. Hock is back, y’all!
Two Down
- Justin Jefferson – The Bears did everything they could to remove him from the game. He had a 40-yard touchdown called back, but it would’ve only been his 2nd catch.
- D’Andre Swift – Grossly inefficient with __ average yards per carry. It didn’t help that Roschon Johnson vultured a touchdown at the 1-yard line.
Minnesota Vikings
Quarterback
Sam Darnold: 22/34, 330 Yards, 2 TD | 2 Carries, -1 Yard
It looked to be a slow start until the last play of the first quarter when Darnold suddenly threw a deep bomb to Jordan Addison for 45 yards. It seemed they had great chemistry as nearly half of Darnold’s passing yards went to the talented sophomore wideout, but this could also be the result of a stingy Bears secondary removing Justin Jefferson from the game. I’d like to say Darnold played it safe, but honestly, he had several daring attempts in tight coverage and against solid QB pressure; the shots he took were accurate, focused, and all to the correct team. Well, except for one, but the interception was overturned due to a defensive penalty. The 2024 season has offered us a different Darnold than we grew familiar with in the past – and yes, having talented pass catchers helps, but credit where credit is due as he’s having the best campaign of his career.
Nick Mullens: 1/1, 14 Yards
Running Back
Aaron Jones: 22 Carries, 106 Yards, TD | 3 Catches, 23 Yards
Jones had an incredible opening drive with huge runs: he bounced around to the outside, booked it down the field, and broke a tackle for a massive 41-yard run, but it was all for naught as he fumbled and lost the ball at the goal line. He seemed to be knocked off his game after that fumble with minimal gains until mid-way through the 3rd quarter where he found his stride again, pushing forward with multiple carries of 5+ yards and capping off a drive with a 2-yard touchdown. With the Vikings in the lead, Jones got lots of love to run the clock and cap off the contest with a win over their division rival.
Cam Akers: 3 Carries, 19 Yards | 1 Catch, 6 Yards
Akers had only 4 touches, but was efficient with the work he got; that said, he’s the clear backup and would only see a significant role if Aaron Jones was not playing.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Justin Jefferson: 2 Catches, 27 Yards
The Bears had one major game plan: no Justin Jefferson. They did everything possible to ensure that Sam Darnold didn’t have access to his #1 weapon as Jefferson didn’t get his first catch until halfway through the 2nd quarter. He had a deep pass on the right side of the field for what would’ve been a stunning catch and run for a 40-yard touchdown, but Jordan Addison caused offensive pass interference and the score was nullified. Ouch… We hate to see it happen, but don’t let this contest make you forget that JJ is still an elite pass catcher and will see much better days moving forward.
Jordan Addison: 8 Catches, 162 Yards, TD
A major contributor early in the game, Addison shined on enormous catches made downfield throughout the contest. He had back-to-back game-changing plays, first with a massive 45-yard bomb where he sprinted toward the end zone and made the catch in tight coverage; the following play was a short touchdown catch to finish the job. He opened the 2nd half with a run down the middle, moved to the right, then made a catch between defenders and booked it for a very nice 69-yard gain. Sam Darnold spread the ball around frequently, but he honed in on Addison as the Bears’ strong secondary focused on locking down Justin Jefferson, with Addison accruing 26% of the total team targets. This was his 1st game of the season with over 100 yards, and he more than doubled his next-highest receiving line of 2024.
T.J. Hockenson: 7 Catches, 114 Yards
This was his biggest involvement since coming off the IR as he passed 100 yards for the first time this season. His catches were massive too with his first reception being a leaping grab over a defender for a gain of 20 yards. Another huge play came on a 34-yard pickup down the right side as he beat a defender to get open for a big completion. His greatest impact was nearly 2 minutes left in overtime where he got a 29-yard pickup and set the team up for a game-winning field goal. Hockules is back and mightier than ever!
Jalen Nailor: 1 Catch, 5 Yards, TD
Only 1 reception on the day, but he caught on the left edge, backpedaled, and touched the pylon for a 5-yard touchdown. His toe was nearly out, but the play was reviewed and deemed impossible to overturn based on video angles.
Johnny Mundt: 1 Catch, 7 Yards
Chicago Bears
Quarterback
Caleb Williams: 32/47, 340 Yards, 2 TD | 6 Carries, 33 Yards
Williams achieved a major milestone by officially breaking the Bears franchise rookie record in passing yards. The Bears have never had a passer with over 4000 yards in a season, which makes this record more significant as the Bears had a desperate need for QB success for many years. There was an early emphasis on Cole Kmet and Keenan Allen, but every playmaker in this receiving core was given opportunities to produce as Williams threw the ball a whopping 47 times! The Viking’s pressure was solid, but the rookie quarterback stayed calm, outran good pressure, and utilized designed runs to keep the defense on their toes as he found openings in their secondary. Unfortunately for Chicago fans, it wasn’t enough to defeat a tough division rival, but one can take solace in the fact that Williams looks to be the future of the franchise.
Running Back
D’Andre Swift: 13 Carries, 30 Yards | 3 Catches, 35 Yards
The Vikings D-line did an excellent job stopping the run game, holding Swift to a meager 2.3 average yards per carry. His biggest contribution was when he got open downfield and saved a nearly dead play, gaining 30 yards on a desperate catch – outside of this, he couldn’t get anything going as he had 7 more carries than Caleb Williams, but still had fewer rushing yards. This does not bode well for Swift as the running game took a back seat to the receiving game.
Roschon Johnson: 2 Carries, 2 Yards, TD | 1 Catch, 10 Yards
The bane of D’Andre Swift owners, Roshchon Johnson once again comes in to vulture the Bears’ lone rushing touchdown on the 1-yard line. He only had 3 touches, but end zone opportunities seem to be his forte in this offense as the bruiser in this backfield.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
DJ Moore: 7 Catches, 106 Yards, TD | 1 Carry, 13 Yards
Despite being less impactful than other pass catchers, Moore made his presence known on plays where it mattered most. He saved Caleb Williams from danger by catching a lob in the backfield, turning a potential loss into a 6-yard gain. While his teammates were finding space and getting open downfield, Moore found success on short passes and playing out of the backfield, with his biggest play of the day coming from behind the line of scrimmage. With a misdirection on a sweep, he caught the ball, broke. 2 tackles, stutter-stepped, and danced his way down for a big gain of 37 yards. Even his touchdown catch was from a screen inside the red zone where he cut behind his blocker and ran in a 10-yard touchdown. This performance was the first touchdown and most yardage he’s had since week 5.
Keenan Allen: 9 Catches, 86 Yards, TD
In the entire 2024 season, Allen had yet to surpass 44 yards, but by halftime, he had 6 catches for 76 yards. Caleb Williams was eager to get him involved all over the field, leading to some highlight-worthy plays: in a tight window between defenders, Allen caught a laser and sprinted along the edge for a massive 40-yard gain. Finding openings between defenders he managed to make plays in tight windows, including catching beyond defenders on a quick pass downfield for 25 yards. He also had a gorgeous leaping catch near the edge on a deep pass, but the play was reversed as he barely toe-tapped out of bounds. In the last 30 seconds of the game, Allen found open space in the back corner of the end zone for an easy touchdown, giving the Bears 1 last chance to make a comeback. Outside of week 6, where he had 2 touchdowns, this was his biggest performance of the year.
Cole Kmet: 7 Catches, 64 Yards
A reliable target on the day, Kmet was a major asset in the passing game with 10 targets. He had multiple 10+ yard catches and he was heavily relied on early in the game to move the ball down the field. He found most of his success later in the game on back-to-back catches with the first being a dart in a sea of defenders for a gain of 19 yards, followed by an 8-yard reception on the next play. Kmet has proven to be a reliable target, especially for a tight end – expect his involvement to remain steady.
Rome Odunze: 5 Catches, 39 Yards
Despite a pedestrian stat line, Odunze had 10 targets on the day, which is nothing to bat an eye at. He had some solid plays with a screen pass to the edge where he booked it downfield for 12 yards. He later leaped and was able to hold onto the ball through tough contact, being sandwiched between defenders and coming down with a 14-yard completion. Sure, we want more production, but the involvement is worth noting.