The Minnesota Vikings had a lot to play for, and they put their foot to the floor and never let up after a strong first half. Brian Flores had Caleb Williams in pieces mentally from the pressure and coverage they were giving him. On offense, Kevin O’Connell and Wes Phillips used a trial-and-error approach before finding some footing.
Either way, you look, the tone was set in the first quarter, and the Vikings never looked back as the Bears had no chance.
The Bears were held scoreless in the first half, and in the second half, they could never find the endzone. The Vikings played for a lot on Monday Night, and they delivered for everyone from Randy Moss to their fans.
Here are five takeaways from the one-sided meeting between the Vikings and Bears on Monday night.
Brian Flores saw what the Bears and Caleb Williams gave him in their first matchup, and he must have said to himself, “That is not happening again.” He shut out the Bears offense in the first half and smothered them in pressures all game. He also dominated them on third down and was able to force turnovers to leave Caleb Williams and this offense feeling lost from the first whistle. Flores is in his bag right now, and the Vikings will be lucky to keep him on staff in 2025.
When Brian O’Neill left the game, we saw the pressure immediately come from the Bears’ front seven. The team cannot overcome an injured Brian O’Neill this late in the season, so it is paramount that if he does miss time, they figure something out. Whether it be they line up Johnny Mundt or Nick Muse on that edge to help David Quessenberry out or give Sam Darnold more safety valves. Either way, this offensive line has proven to be more important than the quarterback because without one you can’t have the other.
Both members of the turnover dance duo, Camryn Bynum and Josh Metellus, are set to be free agents in 2025. The Vikings can afford one high-price safety, but can they afford two? Metellus is playing at a Pro Bowl level in 2024, and his versatility only increases his value. It will be interesting to see how he performs down the stretch because he is getting paid, but by whom?
The Brian Flores defense came into Week 15, leading the NFL with a 39% blitz rate. That aggressive defense allows for the offense to be aggressive. The defense is forcing turnovers and stopping teams on third downs, and when you have that, the offense can take more chances. The Vikings went for it more on fourth down; they are pushing the ball down the field, and being able to do those things against the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles can make a difference in those expected playoff matchups.
The offense struggled in the first half and into the third, but everything settled down once they started leaning on Aaron Jones. They were using him at running back, receiver, and even tight end in certain alignments including one that saw him convert a third and 16 on a run after the catch. Sam Darnold is great, the wide receivers are elite, and they have a top five tight end but it is the veteran running back who makes all the difference in the world for this offense.
