Minnesota Vikings 17-9 Chicago Bears: Vikings into NFC playoff picture with win over sloppy Bears
Chicago Bears outgained the Minnesota Vikings 370 yards to 193, but multiple offensive mistakes cost the home side as they cough up three fumbles, turn the ball over on downs three times and also have a field goal blocked
Tuesday 21 December 2021 11:37, UK
Kirk Cousins threw two touchdown passes as the Minnesota Vikings secured a 17-9 road win over a sloppy Chicago Bears outfit to sneak into the NFC playoff picture with three games to play.
Story of the Game
Cousins completed 12 of 24 passes for only 87 yards - the fewest in a start in his career - and also tossed up an interception for the Vikings, but the Bears could not capitalise, finding the endzone only once and on the very last play of the game.
Chicago actually outgained their opponents 370 yards to 193 in the contest, but multiple offensive mistakes cost the home side as they coughed up three fumbles, turned the ball over on downs three times and also had a blocked field goal.
The loss is a third straight for the Bears (4-10), and an eighth in nine games, while a second win on the spin for the Vikings (7-7) sees them sneak back into the NFC playoff picture as the No 7 seed.
Rookie Bears quarterback Justin Fields went 26 of 39 for 285 yards, throwing that consolation TD to Jesper Horsted, while David Montgomery had 60 yards on 18 carries. Dalvin Cook gained 89 yards on 28 carries for the Vikings.
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Minnesota took a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter on a Cousins 12-yard strike to Justin Jefferson in the corner of the endzone. After Fields lost Chicago's first fumble, the Vikings added to their lead with a Greg Joseph 37-yard field goal.
Montgomery lost another before the first half was over, but Minnesota would fail to cash in again on the error, while the Bears would finally get on the board with a Cairo Santos 34-yard field goal. They could have reduced the deficit even further after Deon Bush picked off Cousins, but Santos' second try from around midfield was blocked.
The Vikings practically put the game away on their first possession of the second half, Cousins throwing his second touchdown pass of the game to rookie Ihmir Smith-Marsette - his first in the NFL.
In the Bears' desperate attempts to force their way back into the game, they would try and fail on three occasions when going for it on fourth down, while Damiere Byrd would cough up another fumble on a muffed punt return.
Stats leaders
Vikings
- Passing: Kirk Cousins, 12/24, 87 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
- Rushing: Dalvin Cook, 28 carries, 89 yards
- Receiving: Justin Jefferson, four catches, 47 yards, 1 TD
Bears
- Passing: Justin Fields, 26/39, 285 yards, 1 TD
- Rushing: David Montgomery, 18 carries, 60 yards
- Receiving: Cole Kmet, six catches, 71 yards
Scoring Summary
What's Next?
The Vikings (7-7) have a huge Boxing Day meeting with the Los Angeles Rams (9-4) in the battle for NFC playoff positioning.
The Bears (4-10), meanwhile, are on the road on the same day, travelling to Seattle to face the Seahawks (5-8).
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