Vikings 30 – Bears 27 | It’s not always Caleb Williams’ fault

The Chicago Bears lost to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday afternoon. A fifth defeat in a row. But if moral victories exist, Caleb Williams can consider this 30-27 overtime defeat as a step in the right direction.

Since the start of the season, Williams has disappointed. In fact, the Bears disappoint. This team, which counts on Keenan Allen, DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, D’Andre Swift and Cole Kmet, is struggling to score points. A necessary variable to win football matches.

For four weeks, this talented attack had barely scored 11 points per game. The first pick of the last draft and presumed savior of the franchise, Williams, was seen as the main responsible for this rout. Until Sunday.

His team lost, of course. But if the Bears heated the Vikings, the best team in their division, until overtime, it was thanks to Williams.

Two touchdown passes, 32 completions in 47 attempts, 340 air yards and no forced turnovers. Beyond these ego-satisfying statistics, Williams acted like a leader of men. The fourth quarter, like a rolling fire, illustrated this well.

The Bears trailed 24-10 midway through the fourth quarter. On a fourth down and four yards, Williams had no targets. The pressure from the Vikings developed quickly. On the right flank, the pivot used his legs for 13 yards to maintain possession of the ball; 70 seconds later, Moore scored the middle finger on a 10-yard pass. A first touchdown pass since week six for Williams.

In the last two minutes of play, because of John Parker Romo’s third field goal, the Bears fell behind by 11 points.

In a cause that was thought to be lost, Williams threaded the needle by connecting with Allen, his best receiver of the day, with a one-yard pass in the end zone. The two-point conversion, completed to Moore, gave the Bears another chance with 22 seconds left. It was then 27-24 Vikings.

And for a rare time, a short kick paid off. By first touching the ankle of tight end Johnny Mundt, the ball was able to be recovered by the Bears. On the restart, on a zone coverage, Williams connected with Moore with a 25-yard torpedo down the middle of the field. And from a distance of 48 yards, kicker Cairo Santos created the tie in the last second of play.

However, even winning the toss, the Bears were unable to capitalize on their advantage in overtime. A mix-up, a third-down sack and a penalty for delaying the game destroyed their chances of progressing. As soon as they had the opportunity, the Vikings sealed the outcome of the game thanks to Romo’s leg on 29 yards.

The team

The Bears’ performance remains encouraging. Even if their updated record of 4-7 contradicts the expectations linked to the potential of this club, Williams’ progression should be the main subject of discussion in the call-ins of the Windy City this Monday morning. Closely followed by the new adaptation of the musical Chicago by Véronic DiCaire.

Williams certainly holds his share of responsibility for his team’s recent failures.

However, unlike some of his counterparts, it is impossible for Williams to maintain full confidence in the other units of his team.

Remember this Hail Mary achieved by the Washington Commanders on the last play of the October 27 meeting. 18-15 loss.

Remember this blocked field goal in the final moments of the game against the Green Bay Packers last week. 20-19 loss.

In this duel against the Vikings, the special teams messed up again.

First, in the second quarter, the offensive line again allowed the opposing giants to stretch to block a field goal attempt. Jalen Nailor scored the Vikings’ second touchdown on the following sequence.

Then, in the third quarter, DeAndre Carter let the ball hit him on a punt return. The Vikings regained possession at the 15 line. Aaron Jones didn’t ask for more to score his third major of the season.

Not only are the Bears incapable of finding a way to win, but they excel at reinventing new ways to lose every week.

The Vikings, for the ninth time

With this other victory, a ninth this season, the Vikings increased their chances of participating in the playoffs. They are at 98%, according to the NFL’s specialized calculator. Sam Darnold, without being exceptional, pushes his team towards success. A success, it should be remembered, unexpected at the start of the season. At the half, he had completed only seven passes.

And Darnold didn’t even need Justin Jefferson to achieve his goals. The star receiver caught only two balls. His young teammate Jordan Addison made the difference, with 8 catches and 162 yards.

Even TJ Hockenson, invisible in the first half, was the Vikings’ clearer in overtime. In his fourth game of the season, the tight end accumulated 114 passing yards.

The defense also stood up against the worst offensive line in the circuit with three sacks.

The Vikings advance and the Bears retreat. The difference between the two teams lies in the desire of one to break away from the bad habits of the other to win the hotly contested matches. And as they all are in this league, one team sits at the top and the other languishes in the depths.