The worst thing
Let’s be honest, there are quite a few things that could be called the worst thing from this game. But, for the Minnesota Vikings, it all came down to one thing: their guys up front continually got beaten by Chicago’s.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins barely had any time to make reads or allow plays to develop. Whether that is the fault of the offensive lineman or a problem with the coaching strategy entering this game, it severely limited the ability of the offense to get anything going.
Minnesota should have known the pressure would come strong and at a high rate because that is how this Chicago team succeeds defensively. Even being down a few key players, the Bears dismantled the blocking of the Vikings on a regular basis.
This is even more frustrating because Dalvin Cook‘s running is supposed to set the tone for the team this season. Instead, he ran the ball 14 times for only 35 yards, a disappointing 2.5 yards per carry. Thankfully, he did get in the end zone, but victories like that didn’t happen often for the offensive line.