8 Reactions to Vikings-Bears
The Minnesota Vikings earned their second win of the season by defeating the Chicago Bears on the road by a score of 19-13.
The victory ensures that Minnesota won’t fall into the bottom of the NFC North and improves their record to 2-4 on the year while Chicago falls to 1-5.
In the immediate aftermath of that game, here are 8 reactions to Vikings-Bears in Week 6.
1. Justin Jefferson’s Absence Is Apparent
The Minnesota Vikings went into this game without the premiere piece of their offense: WR Justin Jefferson. The star receiver is on the shelf for at least three more games after today, and it showed. The offense totaled just 220 yards once again, and it was largely the defense that led to this win.
2. Jordan Hicks Is a Stud
Jordan Hicks had a career day on Sunday. The linebacker recorded an interception to set up Minnesota’s only offensive TD of the day, and he had a fumble recovery that was returned for the only other Vikings TD of the day. Hicks has proven to be a crucial part of the Vikings defensive success in 2023.
3. The Running Game Remains Abysmal
It’s a weekly topic, but it has to be brought up again after this game. The Vikings running game remains one of the worst in the league after Sunday. The team totaled 22 carries for just 46 yards, averaging only 2.1 yards per carry. For a group that already ranked among the worst in the league, they will only fall further after this performance.
4. Offense as a Whole Just Feels Stale
Just watching the game, the Vikings feel like they are missing a creative element in their offense right now. Alexander Mattison had the second-most targets on the day with seven, and the majority of plays on third down have been checkdowns just hoping that the pass-catcher can gain enough yards for a first down. It did not happen very often on Sunday with the Vikings converting just two of their 13 third-down attempts.
5. Marcus Davenport Suffers Another Injury
Marcus Davenport has been a key part of the Vikings pass-rush since returning from his ankle injury, but he suffered another injury on Sunday that left him hobbling off the field. If he is unable to go next weekend, the Vikings could be in a world of trouble against a strong 49ers offensive line.
6. Dalton Risner’s First Snaps with the Offense
Another injury for the Vikings on Sunday resulted in Ezra Cleveland leaving the game. This led to Dalton Risner getting on the field for his first offensive snaps of the season for Minnesota. It will be an interesting situation to watch as Week 7 approaches.
7. Greg Joseph’s First Misses of the Season
Greg Joseph came into Sunday with a perfect kicking percentage, nailing all 18 of his attempts. On Sunday, he hit a couple more kicks, including a pair of field goals from longer than 50 yards. However, we also saw his first misses of the year. An extra point was blocked at the end of the first half, and he was wide-right on a 57-yard field goal in the second half.
8. Justin Fields’ Injury
The Vikings had a couple injuries on Sunday, but Chicago also lost Justin Fields due to a hand injury. Had Fields been able to play the entire second half, there is certainly a chance that the Bears could have pulled off the comeback win.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.