Sam Darnold and Jordan Addison's stellar performances highlight Vikings' Studs and Duds in Week 12 win vs. Bears
The Minnesota Vikings got a crucial NFC North win over the Chicago Bears by a score of 30-27 at Soldier Field on Sunday. It marks the fourth-consecutive win for the Vikings and their NFC North record is now 2-1. It wasn't an easy game, and one the Vikings didn't start off on the right foot. […]
The Minnesota Vikings got a crucial NFC North win over the Chicago Bears by a score of 30-27 at Soldier Field on Sunday. It marks the fourth-consecutive win for the Vikings and their NFC North record is now 2-1.
It wasn't an easy game, and one the Vikings didn't start off on the right foot. They drove down inside the five yard line on their opening drive when Aaron Jones fumbled the ball, giving the ball back to the Bears.
After that, the Vikings did end up getting the win and it's going to be huge in the drive toward winning the NFC North title. The studs and duds from Sunday's games
Stud: WR Jordan Addison
When you play on the other side of superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson, your number won't always get called with consistency. It's to be expected, as Jefferson will command a lot of attention since he's the best wide receiver in the National Football League.
However, you need to always be prepared and ready to make a play. Addison was 100% ready to answer the call and delivered. He set a career-high with eight receptions for 161 yards, including receptions on deep post and over routes to set the Vikings up inside the 10-yard line. He also finished off the drive where he caught the deep post with a touchdown on a shallow cross. With the Bears selling out to stop Jefferson, Addison made the difference on Sunday afternoon.
Dud: LT Cam Robinson
It's really difficult to put a player who gets injured on the list, but it was a play on the first drive before the injury Robinson suffered to his ankle that earns him the distinction of dud.
On the first drive, running back Aaron Jones took a run play into the B gap but got met with the defender Robinsons was responsible to block and that began the process of Jones getting stripped. The Vikings' blocking on those goal-line runs has been poor over the course of the season and this was no exception.
Stud: QB Sam Darnold
Against the Tennessee Titans, Darnold was really good in terms of both efficiency and explosiveness. The biggest thing was that Darnold didn't put the ball in harm's way while exuding really good pocket management. Those carried over against the Bears in a big way on Sunday afternoon.
Darnold was very patient in the pocket, maximizing the mostly clean pockets that the offensive line gave him and didn't force the ball to Jefferson like he would have previously. Darnold found the open receiver with consistency and put the ball in places where only the receiver can get to it. A very impressive two-game stretch from Darnold where the Vikings needed him to step up in a big way.
Dud: Vikings pass rush playing contain
One of the toughest things for a pass rush to do is get pressure on the quarterback while also keeping them contained in the pocket. When you face a player like Caleb Williams, you need to find a way to do both and it was a struggle on Sunday afternoon.
Multiple times saw Williams break the pocket and get first downs with his legs. The Vikings' breaking contain, especially with Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel using spin moves to try and get home helped enable that to happen. Williams ran the ball five times for 32 yards on the day.
Dud: TE Johnny Mundt
What a disastrous way to finish regulation by the Vikings.
With 22 seconds left, all the Vikings have to do is not screw up the onside kick. With the new onside kick rules, nobody had successfully recovered an onside kick. All the Vikings had to do was just not screw it up. Well, the ball hit Mundt on the calf and the Bears recovered it. They hit D.J. Moore on a deep dig route similar to the one that set up the game-winning field goal last season and they hit the game-tying field goal. Truly incredible incompetence from the special teams unit.
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