The “Monday Night Football” viewing viewers was put by means of an unpleasant, defense-dominated affair for a lot of the sport between the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.
But when Cairo Santos’ 30-yard subject purpose sailed by means of the uprights with 10 seconds to play, the Bears emerged with a factor of magnificence: their first NFC North win in additional than two years.
The Bears protection intercepted Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs 4 instances to gasoline a 12-10 victory, the primary divisional win of the Matt Eberflus period after the coach began 0-9. The Bears have two alternatives left to get one other NFC North win, on Dec. 10 towards the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field and Jan. 7 towards the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
The Bears (4-8) have a bye in Week 13 earlier than the Lions sport.
After dropping two fourth-quarter fumbles, Bears quarterback Justin Fields engineered the successful scoring drive. On third-and-10 from the Vikings 49-yard line, Fields hit DJ Moore for a 36-yard go up the center. Santos hit his fourth subject purpose after three Fields kneel-downs.
The Vikings (6-6) took a 10-9 lead on Dobbs’ 17-yard landing go to T.J. Hockenson with 5 minutes, 54 seconds to play. But after Fields’ second fumble, a defensive cease gave the Bears one final likelihood to win it.
The Bears protection did a lot of the work to maintain the sport shut all evening.
Jaylon Johnson, Jaquan Brisker, T.J. Edwards and Kyler Gordon picked off Dobbs, however the Bears managed simply three factors off the takeaways. They punted after the Johnson and Brisker interceptions within the first half.
Santos made a 55-yard subject purpose after Edwards’ decide. He additionally made subject objectives of 25 and 39 yards after lacking a 48-yard try large proper on the opening drive.
Fields misplaced a fumble after Gordon’s decide when Vikings edge rusher Danielle Hunter acquired the strip-sack, and Sheldon Day recovered. The Vikings then marched 77 yards for the one landing of the sport.
Fields’ second fumble — pressured by Josh Metellus and recovered by Anthony Barr — got here on the Bears’ subsequent drive.
Fields accomplished 27 of 37 passes for 217 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions and three sacks. He ran 12 instances for 59 yards.
Dobbs was 22 of 32 for 185 yards with the landing and the 4 interceptions. The Bears had two sacks.
Halftime: Bears can’t capitalize on 2 picks in a 3-3 tie
The Bears protection intercepted Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs twice within the first half Monday evening at U.S. Bank Stadium. But the Bears offense didn’t capitalize on both takeaway, and the groups crawled into halftime with a 3-3 tie.
Cornerback Jaylon Johnson and security Jaquan Brisker picked off Dobbs, who didn’t get the Vikings into scoring vary till the ultimate drive earlier than halftime. Greg Joseph made a 34-yard subject purpose as time expired to tie it.
Bears quarterback Justin Fields accomplished 17 of twenty-two passes for 135 yards with two sacks and no turnovers and had 21 of the Bears’ 40 speeding yards. The Bears dedicated six penalties for 71 yards within the half.
The Bears put collectively a nine-minute opening drive, however it stalled when Fields was sacked for a lack of 5 yards and a go to Cole Kmet misplaced one other yard. Fields accomplished all eight of his passes for 37 yards on the drive.
Cairo Santos then missed a 48-yard field-goal try large proper. It was Santos’ second miss of the season.
Santos rebounded with a 25-yard subject purpose on the Bears’ subsequent drive for a 3-0 lead. The drive included a fourth-and-10 go from Fields to Kmet that went for twenty-four yards to the Vikings 14-yard line.
But the Bears offense stalled from there regardless of the protection offering a number of alternatives.
Johnson got here up along with his third interception of the season on the Vikings’ ensuing drive, choosing off Dobbs and returning it 20 yards to the Vikings 37. A Kyler Gordon taunting penalty for taking off his helmet and a Darnell Wright false begin helped doom the drive, and the Bears punted.
Brisker intercepted Dobbs on the Vikings’ subsequent drive on a go that bounced off Jordan Addison’s palms. The Bears punted after 4 performs.
Johnson practically had his second interception on third down on the following drive. But the ball bounced out of Johnson’s palms, and he spiked it to the bottom in frustration.
Bears left guard Teven Jenkins left the sport for a few collection with an undisclosed damage however returned late within the second quarter.
Inactives: Vikings’ Justin Jefferson and Bears’ Tyrique Stevenson out
The Bears gained’t must face Vikings large receiver Justin Jefferson for a second time this season when the groups meet Monday evening at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Jefferson will miss the sport as he continues his restoration from a strained proper hamstring. Jefferson, the 2022 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year, has been on injured reserve for the reason that week main as much as the Bears’ first sport towards the Vikings this season, a 19-13 Minnesota victory Oct. 15.
That means the Vikings can be with out their two most essential offensive gamers, as quarterback Kirk Cousins is out for the season after Achilles surgical procedure.
The Vikings’ prime large receiver with out Jefferson is rookie Jordan Addison, who has 48 catches for 647 yards and 7 touchdowns. Tight finish T.J. Hockenson leads all Vikings gamers with 75 catches for 736 yards and 4 touchdowns.
The Bears introduced Sunday they might be with out rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, operating again D’Onta Foreman and offensive sort out Larry Borom.
Stevenson harm his ankle in follow Saturday within the Walter Payton Center and can miss a sport for the primary time this season. Fellow rookie Terell Smith, who returned from mononucleosis final week, may see elevated enjoying time.
Foreman has been battling ankle and shin accidents, so the Bears will depend on operating backs Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson as an alternative. Borom, a key reserve, was out all week with an sickness.
Linebacker Noah Sewell, defensive finish Dominique Robinson, quarterback Nathan Peterman and security Quindell Johnson are additionally inactive for the Bears.
For the Vikings, quarterback Jaren Hall, cornerback Akayleb Evans, tight finish Nick Muse, linebacker Nick Vigil and offensive linemen Chris Reed and Hakeem Adeniji are inactive. Hall will function the emergency third quarterback.
Finishing contact proves elusive for Eberflus’ Bears
Five of the Bears’ final six losses have been by a landing or much less, the exception an uninspiring 30-13 street loss to the Chargers on Oct. 29. They had been tied with the Saints getting into the fourth quarter three weeks in the past, had an unpleasant win towards the Panthers and melted down towards the Lions. Before that, the Bears misplaced to the Vikings and dropped a 31-28 resolution to the Broncos that included a collection of late-game mishaps.
Until Matt Eberflus’ group discovers a technique to put groups away within the fourth quarter, it will outline the Bears.
The Bears have been within the majority of video games this season, particularly not too long ago. They have closed the expertise hole in that regard. Now it’s about studying put opponents away. Read extra right here.
Stats bundle
4: Career video games by Justin Fields with a passer ranking of not less than 100.0. Three of these have are available his’ final 4 begins, together with the 105.2 ranking he posted in final week’s loss to the Lions.
0-4: The Bears’ file this season towards groups at present contained in the playoff image. The losses have come towards the Chiefs, Vikings, Saints and Lions. The Bears had been 1-5 in 2022 towards groups that certified for the postseason.
Read extra attention-grabbing numbers right here..
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Source: www.bostonherald.com