Minnesota Vikings vs Chicago Bears: Week 15 game review
By Adam Carlson
Dec 20, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) jumps into the end zone for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears defensive back Ryan Mundy (21) at TCF Bank Stadium. The Minnesota Vikings beat the Chicago Bears 38-17. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
The Good
- Controlling the time of possession. The Minnesota Vikings did exactly what they needed to do this game. They kept picking up first downs, grinding out the clock, and wore down the Bears. It’s rare to see a team do this in the NFL these days with the high-powered passing.
- Tom Johnson filling in well. For another week, Linval Joseph was unable to play. That meant that Tom Johnson would see a majority of his snaps. Thankfully, Johnson had a great game and contained the run game while disrupting things in the backfield. So great to have backups like him on the team.
- First career touchdown for Jerick McKinnon. Despite a great rookie year from “Jet”, he didn’t manage to find the end zone until today, when he caught a pass from Teddy Bridgewater and powered his way to the end zone. A great milestone for the young man and a good sign of his future.
- Brian Robison had a monster game. He made Jay Cutler’s life a living hell. While he didn’t get a lot of sacks, he made plenty of plays that made Cutler adjust or delay him for another player to get there and finish the play. He did have a great strip sack and fumble recovery that should be a great addition to his career highlight reel.
- Defensive line play overall. I know I just praised Robison, but guys like Justin Trattou, Danielle Hunter, Tom Johnson, Sharrif Floyd, and the others deserve mention here for a great game played. Winning the battle at the line of scrimmage is important, and with Joseph out and Griffen limited, it was amazing watching the younger players step up.
Next: The Bad