Vikings @ Bears
Final Score: Vikings 19, Bears 13
Writer: Brennan Rampe (@phdinnfl on Twitter)
The Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears met for the first time this season at Soldier Field. These longtime rivals both entered the game searching for a second win, as they were both 1-4. The first half mostly consisted of field goals until Kirk Cousins found Jordan Addison in the end zone for a touchdown right before halftime. Minnesota’s only points in the second half came from their defense as the offense was nowhere to be seen for 30 minutes. Justin Fields got hurt and undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent had to finish the game. He had a chance to win the game late but threw an interception to seal the victory for Minnesota. The Vikings improve to 2-4 while the Bears fall to 1-5. We’ll have to wait and see what the diagnosis for Fields is, and hopefully, it isn’t serious.
Two Up
- Kirk Cousins – Played a solid game and didn’t make any big mistakes.
- Vikings defense – This group had their best performance of the year. Three turnovers and one touchdown.
Two Down
- Justin Fields – Didn’t play great and couldn’t finish the game due to an injury.
- D.J. Moore – I don’t think anyone was expecting him to replicate his monster game from last Thursday, but was held in check all game. The quarterback situation definitely played a role in this.
Minnesota Vikings
Quarterback
Kirk Cousins: 21/31, 181 Yards, TD | 2 Carries, -5 Yards, 1 Fumble (Lost)
Kirk Cousins played well enough to win. Cousins has been the subject of trade rumors, but I don’t see him being moved. Quarterbacks don’t get traded at the trade deadline. He was accurate with the ball and could’ve had more yards if not for some dropped passes. He did have one interception, but it occurred while being hit. That was the only turnover for the Vikings, but it didn’t come back to haunt them.
Notes
- Probably would have torched this defense if Justin Jefferson was playing.
Running Back
Alexander Mattison: 18 Carries, 44 Yards | 7 Targets, 4 Receptions, 28 Yards
It was an average day for Alexander Mattison. Some runs were for positive gains, and some runs went nowhere. Through six games, Mattison hasn’t done a good job of making Vikings fans forget about Dalvin Cook. It’s been a mediocre year for him, both on the field and in fantasy.
Cam Akers: 1 Carry, 8 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 7 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Jordan Addison: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 28 Yards, TD
This was Jordan Addison’s first NFL game as a WR1, so he was the main focus of the Bears’ defense. It was a fine day for him. He caught his fourth career touchdown, which happened to be Minnesota’s only offensive score. He didn’t do much after that. Kirk Cousins threw a deep ball in the second half to him, but couldn’t bring it in. This game could be a learning experience for Addison. He’s going to have to continue to step up while Justin Jefferson is on IR.
K.J. Osborn: 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 48 Yards
K.J. Osborn is mainly the WR3 for the Vikings, but he was WR2 today. He ended up having more receptions and yards than Jordan Addison did, despite not finding the end zone.
Brandon Powell: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 20 Yards
T.J. Hockenson: 8 Targets, 6 Receptions, 50 Yards
T.J. Hockenson had a decent game but still hasn’t had a touchdown reception since Week 2. There was a play where the ball hit him in the hands, but he couldn’t catch it. This is the second week in a row he’s dropped a pass that should’ve been caught. He received a contract in August that reset the tight end market, but hasn’t lived up to it yet. With the money he’s getting, he should be having numbers similar to Travis Kelce or George Kittle.
Chicago Bears
Quarterback
Justin Fields: 6/10, 58 Yards, INT | 8 Carries, 46 Yards
Justin Fields got sacked on the first play of the game, and that set the tone for how the day went for him. He was sacked four times and when he wasn’t getting sacked, he was getting pressured and hit. After two dominant games with four touchdown passes in both of them, this was a big step back. The Bears had a chance before halftime to score a touchdown, but Fields threw an interception in Vikings territory that led to the Jordan Addison touchdown. He was effective as a runner, but he needs to be more successful and consistent as a passer if he wants to stay in Chicago. The Bears could end up having two picks in the top five in a loaded quarterback class. Every game is an audition for him, and he didn’t help himself today. If he misses time, that’s not going to help either.
Notes
- Didn’t have much of a chance with the offensive line.
Missed Opportunities
- The interception at the end of the second quarter stung. There was pressure in his face, but it was a bad decision that cost the Bears points.
Tyson Bagent: 10/14, 83 Yards, INT | 2 Carries, 4 Yards, TD, 1 Fumble (Lost)
The undrafted rookie entered into a really tough situation. The first few drives were not good. That was to be expected, as he had never taken regular season snaps before. He fumbled on a strip-sack that led to a touchdown by Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks. Those were the only points that the Vikings scored in the second half. He settled in later in the game, however. He had some nice passes, including one to D.J. Moore that set up the touchdown drive. He had a goal-line sneak that was his first career rushing touchdown. He had a chance to lead a game-winning drive late but threw an interception. Depending on what happens with Justin Fields, we could see more of Tyson Bagent going forward.
Notes
- Passed for more yards than Justin Fields did.
Running Back
D’Onta Foreman: 15 Carries, 65 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 2 Yards
Chicago had three running backs inactive, so D’Onta Foreman got the start. He had some physical runs and looked better than Alexander Mattison. He also caught his only target, but he’s more of a runner than a receiver, as seen by his stat line. He came so close to scoring a touchdown near the end of the game but had it vultured by Bagent.
Darrynton Evans: 9 Carries, 32 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 2 Yards
The Bears picked up Darrynton Evans off of the Dolphins practice squad and he was able to get a chance due to the running back injuries. He was carrying the ball when Foreman wasn’t. He had an impressive run at one point where he kept on going despite being wrapped up by a Vikings defender. He got assistance from the offensive line and he went for a ride. Aside from that, not much.
Khari Blasingame: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 1 Yard
Wide Receiver/Tight End
DJ Moore: 8 Targets, 5 Receptions, 51 Yards
After having over 200 yards receiving and three touchdowns against the Commanders, D.J. Moore had a quiet game. He caught a really nice ball from Tyson Bagent near the end of the game, but couldn’t find the end zone. Not having Justin Fields will hurt Moore in fantasy.
Darnell Mooney: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 48 Yards
Darnell Mooney caught a deep ball and could have gone the distance, but couldn’t keep his balance. That was the highlight of his day.
Tyler Scott: 4 Targets, 2 Receptions, 12 Yards
Velus Jones Jr.: 2 Carries, 15 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 5 Yards
Cole Kmet: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 9 Yards
Chicago’s top tight end did basically nothing today. The quarterback situation really hurt everybody.
Robert Tonyan: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 11 Yards, 1 Fumble (Recovered)