The Vikings fell to 1-4 this season in the once-friendly confines of U.S. Bank Stadium with Sunday’s 19-17 loss to the Chicago Bears.
Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos, who missed a 45-yard try earlier in the game, made a 48-yard field goal as time expired to sink the Vikings. Setting up the winning kick was a 56-yard kickoff return by the Bears’ Devin Duvernay, who evaded Vikings rookie edge rusher Tyler Batty, among others.
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s lackluster afternoon — completing 16 of 32 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions — put the Vikings in comeback mode once they fell behind 7-3 in the second quarter. A 15-yard TD pass to Jordan Addison with 50 seconds left gave the Vikings a brief 17-16 lead.
The Vikings are 0-3 at home this season in games started by McCarthy.
Why it happened
Coach Kevin O’Connell leaned into the running game, dialing up four carries within the first six plays. The run game even helped bring back the Vikings with Jordan Mason handling two carries for 24 yards and a touchdown at the top of the fourth quarter. But the Vikings once again could not find a rhythm with McCarthy as a passer. Four players dropped passes, including two by wide receiver Jordan Addison. McCarthy’s inconsistent touch and accuracy also kept receiver Justin Jefferson’s output modest. Jefferson finished with five catches for 61 yards. McCarthy entered Sunday completing just 53% of his passes; he completed 50% against the Bears.
What it means
This means the Vikings (4-6) are two games behind in the cellar of the NFC North with the Bears (7-3), the Green Bay Packers (6-3-1) and the Detroit Lions (6-4), who lost Sunday night against the Philadelphia Eagles, comfortably ahead. The loss, and specifically McCarthy’s performance, also further cloud the team’s outlook with the 22-year-old franchise quarterback who has not looked ready to lead an NFL team at this point.
Play of the game
Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright, who spent the 2024 season with the Vikings, got his second interception against his former team this season when he picked off McCarthy in the end zone just before halftime. The roughly 35-yard throw might have been a little shallow of Addison, who did not have much of a shot at the pass undercut by Wright. The pick prevented the Vikings from scoring just before halftime while trailing 10-3. Wright also returned an interception for a touchdown against McCarthy in the Vikings’ Week 1 win at Soldier Field.
Turning point
Duvernay’s 56-yard kickoff return after the Vikings had taken a 17-16 lead off Addison’s 15-yard touchdown catch immediately gave the Bears a chance to regain the lead. Chicago marched just 9 yards in three plays before attempting the go-ahead field goal.
