Even the most faithful of Minnesota Vikings fans were tested during Week 1. Their Monday Night Football contest against the Chicago Bears included one of the most frustrating three quarters to start a game in a long time.
It looked like the Vikings would take a beating under the lights in the Windy City, but somehow the purple and gold found a way to mount an improbable comeback where their win probability dropped to as low as 7.7 percent in the third quarter, yet they bounced back to outscore Chicago 21 to 6 for the remainder of the game to secure a win and move to 1-0 on the season.
For Minnesota, that first road win was huge since it was a division game, and their comeback victory showed a lot of heart. The 27-24 win still feels like a fever dream, but there were definitely some players who performed well and others who struggled.
Who were the winners and losers from the Minnesota Vikings during their Week 1 win against the Chicago Bears?
Vikings Winner No. 1:
J.J. McCarthy - QB
Based on his performance in the first three quarters, it would have been easy to call Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy a loser. However, he rallied after throwing a third-quarter pick-six to throw two touchdowns and run in one more. He became the first quarterback since former MVP Cam Newton to do that and the only Viking other than Fran Tarkenton to throw two touchdowns in his debut game.
Vikings Winner No. 2:
Javon Hargrave - DL
This offseason, the Vikings focused on improving in the trenches, and one big move was replacing Harrison Phillips with Javon Hargrave on the defensive line. That move looked good against Chicago, as Hargrave had five total tackles, including two sacks, while being a strong presence against the run.
Vikings Loser No. 1:
Justin Skule - OT
Justin Skule was a last-minute start since offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw was unable to play on Monday night. There was a big drop-off in play from Darrisaw to Skule, who did his best but struggled to contain the Bears' defense.
Vikings Winner No. 3
Will Reichard - K
Through training camp and the preseason, there were plenty of questions about kicker Will Reichard. He silenced those concerns on Monday night, matching a Soldier Field record with a 59-yard kick that was also the longest made kick in Vikings season opener history and the second-longest in team history.
Vikings Loser No. 2:
Blake Cashman - ILB
I hate calling Blake Cashman a loser in this game, but he injured his hamstring and was unable to return. While his three tackles were nice, his backup, Eric Wilson, entered the game and played some lights-out football. Wilson registered 5 tackles with one being for a loss and blocked a punt (oddly not on the stat sheet) that helped Minnesota keep momentum.
Vikings Winner No. 4:
Myles Price - WR/PR/KR
Myles Price looked great as a punt returner. He gained 68 yards on four returns to average 17 yards. But kick returner Price also handled two kickoff returns, but those were overshadowed by the great decision made by Ty Chandler to take the ball out of the end zone late in the game to get the game clock under two minutes.
Vikings Winner No. 5:
Every Minnesota RB
Aaron Jones might have his role as a rusher challenged by Jordan Mason, but his work as a receiver will help to keep the offense balanced. Add in the smart special teams play by Chandler, and the running backs were huge assets for the Minnesota Vikings against the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football in Week 1.