Bears vs. Vikings game recap: Everything we know
It’s getting exhausting watching the same game every week with this Chicago Bears team. Once again, the Bears relied on their defense — and this time special teams — to help keep them in the game long enough to blow it themselves, as Chicago lost their fourth straight game — a 19-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football.
Facing one of the NFL’s worst defenses, the Bears offense managed a lowly 149 total yards, including four three-and-outs in the second half. They were once again outscored by another unit — this time their special teams, as Cordarrelle Patterson returned a kickoff 104 yards for a touchdown, which gave the Bears third quarter points for just the second time this season.
The Bears fell to 5-5 on the season, and the playoffs are all but a wash at this point. Luckily, they’re headed into a bye week, where they have a lot of self-reflection to do on offense, as well as get healthy heading into a primetime showdown against the Green Bay Packers when they return in Week 12.
The only question is — who will be under center? It sounds more and more like it’ll be Mitchell Trubisky’s second chance with Nick Foles suffering a leg or hip injury that had him carted off the field in the final minutes.
Final score: Vikings 19, Bears 13
AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast
Keys to the Game
Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
Bears lose fourth straight game: The worst-case scenario happened for Chicago on the primetime stage as they lost their fourth straight game and dropped to 5-5 on the season. It's been more of the same for the Bears this season, who have leaned too heavily on their championship-caliber defense while their inept offense dragged this team into the ground. Thankfully, the Bears are headed into a much-needed bye week. The bad news is they'll face the one team that has beaten them with ease -- the Green Bay Packers -- on the national stage once again. New play-caller, same terrible offense: The big storyline heading into this game was head coach Matt Nagy handing over play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Bill Lazor against the Vikings. Not that many expected Lazor's impact on the offense would be anything significant. Although, there were moments in the first half where it looked like the Bears offense was moving the ball better. But an embarrassing second-half performance, which consisted of four three-and-outs, proved that the play caller wasn't the only issue on offense. Much like Nick Foles taking over as starting quarterback proved that Mitchell Trubisky wasn't the only problem on offense. Chicago's offense managed just 149 total yards and failed to score a touchdown against one of the league's worst defenses. Defense continues to be wasted: The Bears defense deserves better than the offense that continues to take the field. Chicago's defense once again took away the threat of Vikings running back Dalvin Cook, that is until defensive tackle Akiem Hicks suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out of the remainder of the game. Cook wound up with his best numbers against the Bears, rushing for 96 yards on 30 carries, although he wasn't the reason Minnesota won the game. Bears inside linebacker Roquan Smith proved to the rest of the league that he's an elite talent, which was one of the few encouraging things to take away from this game. Chicago's defense has every reason to be upset with their putrid offense, who continues to put the onus on the defense to win games every week.
It was over when...
AP Photo/Wade Payne
Despite an abysmal performance by the offense, the Bears were in a good position to win through the end of the third quarter. That is, until stud defensive tackle Akiem Hicks suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the game. Hicks' exit was a blow for a Bears defense that had held Vikings running back Dalvin Cook to 40 yards rushing. But it seemed like when Hicks left, it was deflating for the entire team as Hicks is the heart and soul of that defensive unit. When Hicks left the game, Cook found more success running the football and wound up with just shy of 100 yards rushing for the game. Although, this loss is far from the defense's fault. It just felt like the defense would've won this game for the Bears -- if Hicks didn't get hurt.
3 Stars of the Game
AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
*** ILB Roquan Smith: Bears fans certainly know Smith has been playing at an All-Pro level this season. But the rest of the NFL world got to see Smith playing some elite football on the primetime stage. Smith led the Bears with 14 total tackles, including three tackles-for-loss, and one sack. ** WR Cordarrelle Patterson: Patterson is one of the NFL's best kick returners of all-time, and he proved it with a 104-yard kickoff return touchdown to open the second half. Patterson also did a solid job as the lead running back in David Montgomery's absence, where he 30 yards on 12 carries. * OLB Khalil Mack: Mack knows exactly when to show up on primetime, and he had another big-time takeaway when the Bears needed one most. Mack picked off Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins and returned it 33 yards to set the Bears offense up in Minnesota territory, where they would only muster a field goal. Mack finished the game with three tackles and one pass breakup.
KR Cordarrelle Patterson makes history
AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
Just when the Bears needed a spark, Cordarrelle Patterson delivered with a 104-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to give the Bears a 13-7 lead in the third quarter. It was Patterson's eighth kickoff-return touchdown of his career, which tied him with Josh Cribbs and Leon Washington for the all-time lead. Patterson’s 104-yard kickoff return is the longest in Bears history, surpassing Gale Sayers’ 103-yarder against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 17, 1967. https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1328529357363666944?s=20
Coming-out party for Roquan Smith
AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
There's no doubt that inside linebacker Roquan Smith has been playing at an elite level this season, and now everyone got to see that on a national stage. Smith continued his All-Pro season with a team-best 14 tackles, including three tackles-for-loss, as well as a sack on Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins. It's a shame Smith and this Bears defense are being wasted on a putrid offense. https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1328534392210399233?s=20
What's Next
Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
The 5-5 Bears head into the bye week with plenty to clean up before they head to Green Bay to face the Packers on Sunday Night Football in Week 12.
