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Vikings at Chicago will look to get ‘bad taste out of our mouth’ from loss at Green Bay

chris tomasson, pioneer press
·3 min read

Regardless of seeding, the Vikings still believe they have plenty to play for in Sunday’s regular-season finale at Chicago.

The Vikings are coming off an ugly 41-17 loss last Sunday at Green Bay, which dropped them to the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoff race and made it unlikely they will get to No. 2. But they will take the field at noon at Soldier Field looking to make up for what happened at Lambeau Field.

“That’s exactly what we’re trying to do is get that bad taste out of our mouth and build for next week,’’ linebacker Jordan Hicks said of the NFC North champions opening the playoffs next weekend at home. “So, every game and every opportunity, you can’t take it for granted. In our mindset, it’s like any other big-time game for us that we need to win.”

Unless the Vikings (12-4) lose to the Bears, they’ll have to wait until after San Francisco (12-4) plays host to Arizona at 3:25 p.m. to learn their playoff seed. A Vikings win or tie and a 49ers loss would get them to No. 2. So would a Minnesota tie and San Francisco loss. The problem is the 49ers, who hold a tiebreaker over the Vikings, have won nine straight games and are a 14-point favorite over the Arizona Cardinals.

If the Vikings are the No. 3 seed, they will open the playoffs against the New York Giants (9-6-1), whom they defeated 27-24 two weeks ago at U.S. Bank Stadium.

“It’s great to be able to have another game before the playoffs to tighten up some things,’’ said tight end T.J. Hockenson.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell said Friday that the Vikings plan to use starters to begin Sunday’s game but likely will work some reserves into the game. Starting safety Harrison Smith was ruled out Saturday after the Vikings said he began experiencing knee soreness on Friday afternoon after being a full participant in all practices during the week. He will be replaced by Josh Metellus.

Wide receiver Adam Thielen said Friday that coaches “haven’t said anything to us” about how starters might be used.

“No clue,’’ Hockenson said. “I’m expecting to play the whole game. I mean, Week (18), just to be able to get us some momentum in the playoffs. So, yeah, I’m excited to play all four (quarters).”

Briefly

Cornerback Patrick Peterson was named the Vikings’ 2022 winner of the Korey Stringer Good Guy Award. The award, named after the tackle who died in 2001 while with the Vikings, is handed out by the Twin Cities chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America for cooperation and professionalism with the media. … Minnesota on Sunday will learn its final foe on the 2023 schedule, which will be a road game against the NFC East winner. It will be Philadelphia unless the Eagles lose to the New York Giants and Dallas defeats Washington. Then it would be the Cowboys.

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