The Minnesota Vikings fell 19-17 to the Chicago Bears in Week 11 at U.S. Bank Stadium on November 16. Moreover, this game was crucial for both teams, as the Bears were fighting for the NFC North division, while the Vikings were looking to keep their playoff aspirations alive.
It was a contest in which neither quarterback was spectacular, and the winner would be determined by who made the crucial plays when called upon.
Caleb Williams went 16 of 32 on his pass attempts while recording 193 passing yards. Meanwhile, J.J. McCarthy had a similar stat line, completing 16 of 32 passes for 150 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.
McCarthy’s lone touchdown nearly sealed the win for Minnesota. However, after that touchdown, a kick return put the Bears in good field position, and Williams led the Chicago offense to kick the game-winning field goal.
After the win, the USC product shared his thoughts on the game and noted the one instinct they have that maybe Minnesota didn’t have in the final minutes of the contest.
“You have to have a killer instinct to be in these games and finish them the way we have,” Williams told reporters (h/t Marquee Sports Network). “It’s a fight all the way through, and to come out victorious, you need that sense of killer instinct. On the idea of killer instinct, when there’s blood in the water, we have to strike.
“When the defense forces a turnover and we get the ball back, we have to put up seven points. When we need to get three-and-outs, we have to put up seven points. That’s a mindset and belief we have to grow into and get better at.”
Vikings’ Issues on Offense Continue
The Vikings’ offense faced another challenging game, failing to reach 20 points in three of their past four games. After the loss, with the offense once again falling short in supporting the defense, tight end T.J. Hockenson offered a straightforward comment on their struggles.
“I think you just go one play at a time,” Hockenson told reporters after the loss. “You can’t press because if you do in this league, that’s when bad things happen. That’s when you do things that our quarterback doesn’t know what you’re doing, and that’s when things become bad.
“I think we just have to take one play at a time, all 11 doing our jobs, and move forward from this. I mean, again, you lose the turnover at two to zero, it’s a tough game to win, and with a thin margin of error, that’s what it came down to, a thin margin of error.”
Justin Jefferson Will Look to Lead by Example
While Hockenson emphasizes focusing on each play to get the Vikings’ offense back on track, Justin Jefferson said he feels responsible for stepping up as a leader to support the team, particularly McCarthy, during this challenging stretch.
“Everybody feels like it’s difficult, it’s not something we’re keeping under the rug or anything,” Jefferson told reporters after the loss. “Yes, it’s difficult. But as a team, as a captain, as a leader of this team, I have to be the first one out there.
“I have to be the one leading us in the direction of winning and being where we need to be. So if that means taking J.J. out and getting more time with him and building that connection, then that’s what I have to do. I have to figure out what I need to do to get us over that hump.”
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