By Jim Souhan

Had the Vikings lost on Sunday to the Bears, they would have finished a supposedly-promising season with a three-game losing streak and three straight blown leads.

Instead, Teddy Bridgewater overcame a slew of dropped passes to coax the Vikings to a workmanlike 13-9 victory and a 7-9 record, allowing perceived improvement to be matched by an actual two-victory improvement in the standings.

While young, undrafted players like linebacker Audie Cole and Adam Thielen starred, former first-round draft pick Cordarrelle Patterson bobbled the only pass thrown to him into the arms of a Bears' defender, setting up a Bears' field goal. Combined with Greg Jennings' dropped touchdown pass in the second quarter, Vikings' receivers cost the team at least 10 points.

The Vikings lost points again when their late-game drive died on a fourth-and-one carry by Matt Asiata that gained zero, and the Bears took over with a chance to mount a game-winning touchdown drive.

The Vikings' defense held, and Bridgewater's last snap of his rookie season came from the victory formation.

Jim Souhan's podcast can be found at SouhanUnfiltered.com. JSouhan@startribune.com. @Souhanstrib.