1. Rhodes puts clamps on Jeffery

Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes did much more than hold Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery to two catches for 34 yards. By shadowing the 6-3 Jeffery, the 6-1 Rhodes essentially eliminated him from quarterback Jay Cutler's visual rotation in several key situations, such as third-and-9 at the Vikings' 12 and in third- and fourth-and-long in the final two minutes. "They didn't want to throw it him," Rhodes said. "Probably because of me. I don't know. My goal was to go out there and cover him. That's the only thing I had to do. That was the only game plan for me." In the first meeting, a 21-13 Bears win, Jeffery had 11 catches for 135 yards and a touchdown. Most of that damage, as well as Brandon Marshall's two touchdowns, came against 5-10 corner Josh Robinson. It helped Sunday that Marshall is on IR. But Rhodes still signaled to Chicago that he can be a shutdown corner, even covering Jeffery in the slot late in the game. "Wherever he went," Rhodes said, "I went."

2. The Minneapolis debut of 'The Robot?'

Backup left end Corey Wootton got his first sack as a Viking in the final game of his first season with the team. Then he dusted off "The Robot," a celebratory tip-of-the-cap to comedian Dave Chappelle. Wootton apparently did it for some of the 11½ sacks he had in four seasons in Chicago. "It had been a long time, so I had to celebrate when I got that one," said Wootton, who ended Brett Favre's career a game early with a sack at TCF Bank Stadium in 2010. "I was like, 'Finally!'" The sack came on first-and-10 from the Bears' 12 with the Vikings leading 10-6 late in the third quarter.

3. Sherels is a survivor

Change will come for the Vikings. And we'll no doubt wonder if 2015 is the year Marcus Sherels gets replaced. And he'll probably make the team because he's too valuable not to. Wootton's sack on Sunday helped set up Sherels' 31-yard punt return, which handed the Vikings a field goal and a 13-6 lead. Sherels made the return possible by shaking Bears gunner Sherrick McManis. "Sherrick is one of the best gunners in the league," Vikings special teams coordinator Mike Priefer said. "We put two blockers on him to slow him down, and Marcus made him miss."

4. Felton's finale in purple

Fullback Jerome Felton, who went from journeyman to Pro Bowler after joining the Vikings, said Sunday he will opt out of the final year of his contract. But it's not surprising. He said two weeks ago that he knew the team wasn't going to bring him back at $2.5 million when it kept Zach Line on the active roster with a 2015 salary of $585,000. "We're moving in a different direction and that's fine," Felton said. "I owe so much to this organization. They got my career to where I wanted it to be. So I got a lot of love for them. I'm rooting for them. They're going in the right direction. Coach Zimmer is a brilliant coach." Line was active for the first time this season and played on special teams on Sunday. "He's got a bright future," Felton said. "As for me, we'll see. I still think I'm the best fullback in the league. I'm better than when I made the Pro Bowl in 2012."

5. Stonewalled twice inside the 5

Unfortunately for Felton, his final two plays as a Viking were being the lead blocker and getting stuffed for no gain on third-and-1 and fourth-and-1 at the Chicago 3 in the closing minutes of a four-point game. The Vikings ran the same play both times. They had an eligible third tackle, Austin Wentworth, on the left side, a tight end on both edges and Felton as the lead blocker for Matt Asiata. What had been a powerful drive was snuffed out when two Bears penetrated the Vikings' left side and Felton took the inside defender instead of the linebacker in Asiata's direct path. Zimmer wasn't happy. "We ended up blocking the wrong guy," he said before signaling with his hands that the Vikings needed only a foot for the first down. "But it's this much. We could have not blocked anybody and gained that much."