The Bears left Sunday with a blowout win over Carolina, but that kind of result can hide problems instead of solve them. Minnesota, meanwhile, comes into the matchup with Chicago looking steadier after taking down Green Bay in Week 1, and now the conversation shifts to Carson Wentz.
With Kyler Murray in concussion protocol, Wentz stepped in and gave Minnesota exactly the kind of outing that forces a defense to pay attention. He finished 12 of 19 for 133 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, a sharp showing from the 33-year-old quarterback. It was also the kind of performance that made Minnesota’s decision to go his direction instead of JJ McCarthy look justified.
Wentz did not do it alone, of course. Justin Jefferson was a huge part of the night, hauling in two of Wentz’s three touchdown passes and finishing with 92 total yards. He caught eight of the nine balls thrown his way, the sort of reliable production that makes life easier for a quarterback stepping into the lineup.
Minnesota also got enough on the ground to keep Green Bay from settling in. Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason combined, with a little help from Kyler Murray, to push the Vikings over 100 rushing yards and add two touchdowns. Jones, in particular, made a few key plays against his former team that helped tilt the game in Minnesota’s favor.
That leaves Chicago in a tricky spot. The Bears won big against Carolina, but the defensive numbers from that game were rough: 478 yards allowed, 37 points surrendered and 7.7 yards per play. Minnesota, on 200 fewer yards, scored more points than the Panthers did.
Wentz may not be the most fearsome quarterback the Bears will see this season, but Minnesota has already shown it can get the most out of what’s around him. If Chicago’s defense shows up the way it did in Week 1, the Vikings have plenty of ways to make them pay.
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Twins Have A New Reason To Care About What Comes Next
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Kaelen Culpepper and Emmanuel Rodriguez have both given Minnesota something to track in these final weeks, each flashing promise in their early major league looks. Culpepper is currently on the injured list with a hamstring strain, which slows the momentum a bit, but the larger point remains clear: these are the kinds of young players the Twins expect to lean on in the seasons ahead. [Read more 🡒]