Surge Protector

This game should be relatively open and shut. NFL games never are, but I’m thinking this game may be a little different. The Vikings, who are a powerhouse in the NFC and NFL, (I know right? Unbelievable.), have been cruising. Sam Darnold is playing like he wants to stay in Minnesota for life, Jordan Addison, after complaining about a trade earlier this year, has 435 yards receiving and 5 TDs. In his last five games. He currently has 708 yards receiving total this year, so yeah, you do the math. He’s glad Minnesota didn’t send him packing. This then allows for other guys to get open and produce, like T.J Hockenson, Jaylen Nailor, and of course, Justin Jefferson. Then you throw guys like Aaron Jones in the mix, and you’ve got a dangerous team with a dangerous QB at the helm. Who are 11-2. Crazy world we live in. the only problem for the Vikings is their defense, which if sharpened, would make this team ridiculous to play. They will look to stomp out a weaker Chicago team and stay tight on defense, their weaker phase.

The Bears are in trouble. They’ve got some issues, and I don’t really know where from. They have always been, for lack of a better term, a poverty franchise. The last time the Bears had a receiver who has 1,00 receiving yards in a season was 2020 with Allen Robinson. Chicago is also dead last in the league in total offense, which is surprising after all the talk I heard about Caleb Williams and all the weapons he has, and how different this team is because they got rid of Justin Fields instead of investing in an offensive line. As of November, Caleb Williams held the ball in the pocket for over 2.5 seconds, on average. He did this in college too, and usually, this doesn’t translate well in the NFL. I get their line sucks, but you can’t hold the ball that long in the pocket, you aren’t playing Temple anymore. He is also 29th in the league in completion percentage, and his receivers have had some, shall we say interesting body language coming back to the sidelines or huddle after a missed throw. Is he part of the problem, yes, but he’s a rookie so let’s not get crazy yet, because their coaching staff and scheme is clearly off too. It’s just a shame they though drafting a QB and not helping their offensive line would be the key to their success. My 9-year-old brother could tell you that. Anyways, good luck to them as they try and figure it out next year, Vikings by 14.

POSTGAME:

The Vikings took care of business. They really did. They needed this win to get into a three-way tie for first place in the NFC, and they did just that. It wasn’t the best performance from Sam Darnold, as he was 24/40 with 231 yards passing and 1 TD and 1 INT, but it didn’t matter. Aaron Jones had 18 touches for 86 yards and a TD, Cam Akers had 10 touches for 24 yards and 1 TD, and Justin Jefferson clocked 7 catches for 73 yards and a TD. They spread the ball and score. They handled a worse team in the Bears and got another win.

The Bears are still in trouble. Caleb Williams did not look good tonight. He was 18/31 with only 191 yards passing and 1 TD. His inaccuracy looked apparent tonight, and that’s one of his biggest knocks. The receiving core and running back room had an OK night, but it wasn’t enough. It was too late for them to get things going, as they didn’t score until their second to last drive. It’s not working out in Chicago right now, hopefully they find some answers for next season because they can’t have another one of these seasons.