News Around the NFC North: Kardiac Kitties Get Their First Win
Josh Frey
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A pair of games involved NFC North teams in week 13, and one was a rematch between two division rivals. In these games, the Bears and Vikings both took losses, while the suddenly-hot Detroit Lions got their first win of the 2021 season. Here’s all the news around the NFC North following week 13’s action.
Chicago Nipped by the Cardinals
The Bears went into Arizona without their rookie QB, Justin Fields, once again this week. With Andy Dalton getting another start, Chicago looked to earn consecutive wins for the first time this season. The problem was, they were going against the revamped Arizona Cardinals.
After missing multiple weeks, both Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins returned to Arizona’s lineup this week. At full strength, one of the top NFC contenders proved to be far too much for the Bears defense to handle. On top of that, Dalton threw four interceptions in their 22-33 loss in the desert.
Lions Win on a Buzzer-Beater TD
If the Detroit Lions were ever going to win a game, it would certainly happen in this fashion. Detroit jumped out to a 20-6 lead going into halftime, only to let the Vikings back into the game. After a touchdown with under two minutes left, the Vikings led the game, 27-23.
Then, Mr. Clutch, Jared Goff, led a 75-yard drive to get a touchdown as the clock hit triple zeros. After the tragic events in Oxford, Michigan, this past week, it was an incredible moment for the state of Michigan. The team in the basement of the NFC North cannot be put in any jokes this week; the Kardiak Kitties are alive and thriving.
Vikings Get Knee-Capped
At the end of the day, the Vikings just got bit a little too hard by the injury bug. Eric Kendricks, Anthony Barr, and Patrick Peterson were all announced as out prior to this game, putting a huge dent in Minnesota’s defensive star power. Not to mention, the players they were already missing in Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen.
Then things went from bad to worse as Minnesota lost Adam Thielen early in the contest to a high ankle sprain. Without their top red zone threat, the Vikings offensive attack was pretty weak for a good chunk of this game. Justin Jefferson showed out as he always does, but overall, the effort just was not enough as Minnesota fell 29-27. Any hopes of an NFC North title or even a playoff berth seem to be dashed.
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