Vikings Fail to Kick Bears While They Were Down

Nov 16, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) scores a touchdown against Minnesota Vikings cornerback Josh Robinson (21) in the second half of their game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The Bears won 21-13. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Sporting Sota is a fan-driven site, yet I try to be as fair and objective as possible. Had I tried to write this recap immediately following yesterday’s debacle, that would have been an impossibility. Also, cursing is not allowed, so finding the right words would have been extremely difficult. Now that a little time has passed, let’s give this a shot.

The Vikings never win in Soldier Field. The last time they did was in 2007, when Adrian Peterson beat the Bears almost single-handedly in his rookie season. Even in 2009, the Silver Fox and the Vikings got beat in overtime. Chances to win against a division rival on the road do not come around frequently and cannot be wasted. Yesterday was a wasted opportunity.

The Vikings jumped out to a 10-0 lead, although the offense was struggling. The big play was a fake punt that worked to perfection. It was the type of play that teams with losing records should do more of. Playing conservatively can be beneficial, but when you have a losing record and are playing in a must-win game, chances need to be taken at the appropriate times. That was one of those times, and it turned out just right.

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One group that took no chances was the offense. Teddy Bridgewater did not play well, but I don’t know that there was anywhere for him to push the ball downfield. One thing that drives me crazy is calling a pass play with a route tree that includes a pass route that only goes for three yards on 3rd and 7. If he is the only one who is open, Teddy has to throw him the ball, and he will almost always be stopped short. The broadcast yesterday did not make it clear if he was not seeing guys deeper that were available, but the extra short route almost should not even be an option. There is no way Teddy will develop to his full potential without testing him more, and giving him chances to both succeed and fail.

The last pass of the game was a different story. Teddy was under pressure (more on that in a moment) and had to unload the ball. He tossed it down the near sideline and was picked in the end zone by Ryan Mundy. Game over. As Rich Gannon pointed out, Teddy was a little late on the throw, giving Mundy a chance to roam over from his safety spot and make the play. Had Teddy had more time he could have put more zip on the ball, which may have made the difference. The other problem I have with the play is that Charles Johnson, who otherwise played well, did not attempt to make a play on the ball. He went low and tackled Mundy, but it sure looked like he would have been close enough to jump and make a play on the ball. Considering the Bears receivers were jumping over our defensive backs to score touchdowns all day, it was an especially bitter way for the game to end.

As far as the offensive line goes, they were brutal yet again. The main culprit and perfect embodiment of their failure was Matt Kalil, yet again. Kalil was so bad on certain plays he made Jared Allen look fully functional again, a feat unmatched by any other left tackle the Bears have played against this year. Kalil has continually offered little to no resistance against outside rushers, and Bridgewater is getting drilled because of it.

Until the offensive line gets shored up, the receivers get open and make plays and Teddy shows the ability to hit them downfield, this offense will fail to put up points consistently. Pretty tough to win in today’s NFL that way.

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