This game wasn’t a huge test for the then 11-2 Minnesota Vikings, but it was of huge importance as a race for the NFC one-seed heats up. With assistance from the Bills beating the Lions on Sunday, the Vikings needed to take care of business last night to bring said race back even. That’s exactly what Minnesota did, beating up the Bears winning 30-12 and improving to 12-2.
Vikings success came out of the backfield with both Aaron Jones and Cam Akers finding paydirt on 28-combined carries. Of course, it’s nearly impossible to keep Justin Jefferson quiet as he had a score on seven catches for 73 yards. Sam Darnold wasn’t great, finishing 24/40 with a TD and an INT, but he didn’t need to be. His defense was relentless in their pressure of Caleb Williams, never letting him get comfortable and sacking him twice and forcing a fumble along with two picks.
The Vikings scored early, giving their defense a comfortable cushion to work and the Vikings never looked back. For Super Bowl contenders like the Vikings, it’s important to beat the bad teams like the Bears. Not only did they beat Chicago, they never let them off the bus. Teams that are pretenders win those games, but barely escape alive. Take the other MNF game for example. The Falcons are in playoff contention, but they’re lightyears away from being a legitimate contender. Kirk Cousins has been horrendous, the coaching has been questionable and the defense is hanging on to this season by a thread. They almost fumbled a win against a two-win Raiders offense that has essentially no star-talent, and a defense that can’t stop anyone. The Vikings play with a different confidence, they knew they were the better team last night and were poised to prove it.
This win was so important for the Vikings because they now control their own destiny. Should the Vikings beat the Seahawks and the Packers in the upcoming weeks, they can seal the one-seed in week 18 against the Lions. That is, of course, if the Lions don’t trip up again before then.
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