Vikes at Bears Game Wrap: A Win is a Win (Especially in Chicago)
Joe Oberle
|
The Vikings somehow came out of Soldier Field with a victory after some strange plays and the usually poor performance by Minnesota. But they survived with a 20-17 victory against the Chicago Bears, a team they should have beat by a heck of a lot more.
The Vikings started the wrong quarterback on Monday Night Football, and the questions about what went into it are sure to come fast and furious. Kudos to Case Keenum for coming in and saving the game, putting up the 17 points needed to win the game.
But a win is a win and now the Vikings move back atop .500 with a 3-2 record and a game out of first place in the NFC North Division. They trail the Green Bay Packers (and are tied with the Detroit Lions), who come in next Sunday in a battle for first place. The Vikings didn’t look tonight like a team that is ready to beat the Packers, but they should play better since they won’t be playing in Soldier Field.
Trending
Sam Bradford donned his long sleeves (and probably wore one on his sore left knee) and got back on the field in Chicago, and after three games out and he looked, well, rusty. That is putting it kindly. He over threw his receivers, he underthrew some because it looked like he didn’t want to put much pressure on his sore left knee (he plant foot) and he made some poor or rushed decisions. I am not trying to take anything away from Bradford, but he didn’t appear to be ready to play. Bradford lasted until the final series of the first half (it began with 25 seconds on the clock), and it was clear (to me) that it was too long. Bradford finished with stats of five of 11 for 36 yards, but he couldn’t really protect himself (on 15 pass plays, Bradford completed five passes and took six hits resulting in four sacks—according to Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune). He may have wanted to go, but it was the right move to take him out of the game—he can live to fight another day.
Case Keenum, on the other hand, came in a long a lot more decisive than Bradford. He came into the game and immediately started hitting receivers. On the night he threw for 140 yards on 17 for 21 passing (a 110.3 passer rating), and led the Vikings on two touchdown scoring drives to extend 3-2 first half lead. He then put together another good one late to set up the winning field goal. It is clear that Keenum can lead the team in the absence of Bradford and it now is obvious that the Vikings need to wait until Bradford is healthy. He wasn’t on this night—and he will have to show he is to get the start next week.
The Vikings defense played a great first half—bend don’t break, keep the Bears out of the endzone and shut down the run. But they had to spend so much time on the field that they started to tire in the second half. It resulted in penalties, missed assignments, missed tackles and finally giving up some points—a Mitch Trubisky touchdown pass and then run for a two-point conversion. But the defense came up with the play of the night—a Harrison Smith interception—that set up the game-winning field goal. Smith made the play the Vikings needed one they should have had earlier playing against a rookie quarterback in his first NFL start.
Worth Defending
We haven’t given the special teams a whole lot of credit, but their play warrants it this season, and it came through again on Monday night. The punt coverage team came into the game allowing very few return yards and they kept it up against the Bears. But then they gave up the fake punt for a touchdown, which was seemed like the time to do it for the Bears—why keep punting? While they have had a pretty good season so far (save for the missed extra points and field goal), you can’t give a down team that kind of play to give them hope—it will come back to burn you. Credit must be given to Kai Forbath, who made all his kicks this week, including the game winner with 12 seconds left.
Running backs Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon took over for the injured Dalvin Cook and the returns were hit and miss. Murray ran hard (12 rushes for 31 yards), but didn’t make a huge impact (Cook is going to be tough to replace). Jerick McKinnon (16 for 95 yards and a touchdown), meanwhile, had the better game and got most of the work late. In addition, wide receiver Michael Floyd got his first start as a Viking, and it wasn’t much to write home about. Floyd finished with one catches for 19 yards, and will need to find some chemistry with his quarterback(s).
The Vikings offensive line deserves defending this week, even though the starting quarterback was sacked our times. Plenty of that was on Bradford’s injury. But in the second half the offense had some rhythm with Keenum and moved the ball. They opened some holes for the running backs (a particularly wide for McKinnon’s 58-yard touchdown run), but not enough to sustain drives throughout the game.
Should be Ending
Holding the ball so long. It was 6.2 seconds from snap to sack on the safety—from a veteran quarterback. That safety and the entire first quarter are on Bradford. Over throws killed a couple early drives and, but the safety is because he held the ball in the endzone as though he thought his offensive line was the Packers offensive, which gives Aaron Rodgers a week to look around the defense. Bradford is rusty, but for someone who doesn’t want to get hit, you’d think the clock should be expiring in his head.
SOS from the Vikings when they travel to Soldier Field. Strange stuff (safety, fake punt for a touchdown, Jerick McKinnon, who has never fumbled, does so for the second week in a row), underwhelming performances (Bradford of course, but he was playing hurt). But the Vikings penalties (nine for 69 yard on the game) happened way too often to win a game on the road.
When Kyle Rudolph scored the first touchdown, the Vikings performed a touchdown cellie. If they call it “Duck, duck, grey duck,” it can stay. If it’s goose, it’s gotta go.