Three keys to the Vikings’ 30-27 overtime victory over the Bears

Vikings WR Jordan Addison

Asked how he would defending himself, Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson said: “It’s either let everybody else go off or let Justin go off. I’m going to let everybody else go off.” Well, the Chicago Bears let Jordan Addison go off. Addison had a career-high 162 yards receiving on eight catches, including a 69-yard catch and run to open the second half. His most important grab might have been the last one, when he connected with Sam Darnold on a 12-yard reception on third and 10 from the Vikings 21-yard line to move the chains as the overtime entered sudden death. (Honorable mention here to tight end T.J. Hockenson, who took over in OT and capped 114-yard day with three catches for 58 yards in the extra period.)

11 points in 29 seconds

After the Vikings kicked a field goal to go up 27-16 just after the two-minute warning, the Bears, with no timeouts, came all the way back. DeAndre Carter’s 55-yard kickoff return certainly helped. But starting when there were 29 seconds on the clock, Caleb Williams hit Keenan Allen on a 1-yard TD pass and connected with D.J. Moore on a two-point conversion. Then the Bears recovered an onside kick after it bounced off Vikings tight end Johnny Mundt’s foot. Williams hit Moore for 27 yards on the next play. After the Bears clocked it, Cairo Santos kicked a 48-yard field goal to send the game to overtime.

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Entering Sunday’s games, only the Dallas Cowboys (three) had fewer rushing touchdowns than the Vikings’ five. The team’s struggles running the ball in the red zone, in particular, are acute, and Aaron Jones’ fumble at the 1 in the first quarter didn’t help that perception. Jones punched in the Vikings’ sixth rushing TD of the season late in the third quarter to give them a 14-point lead. He had 22 carries for 106 yards, his second 100-yard game with the Vikings. But Minnesota was only 3-for-7 in the red zone (though on the last trip inside the 20, the Vikings intentionally set up Parker Romo’s game-winning field goal) and has scored only 21 TDs in 39 red-zone drives (53.8%).

Vs. Arizona, noon Sunday

After a three-game road trip, the Vikings return to U.S. Bank Stadium, where they will play three of their four December games. The visiting Cardinals (6-5) lost 16-6 in a key NFC West matchup against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday to drop into a tie for first place in the division.

Sept. 8: W, 28-6 vs. N.Y. Giants

Sept. 15: W, 23-17 vs. San Francisco

Sept. 22: W, 34-7 vs. Houston

Sept. 29: W, 31-29 at Green Bay

Oct. 6: W, 23-17 vs. N.Y. Jets in London

Oct. 13: Bye

Oct. 20: L, 31-29 vs. Detroit

Oct. 24: L, 30-20 at L.A. Rams

Nov. 3: W, 21-13 vs. Indianapolis

Nov. 10: W, 12-7 at Jacksonville

Nov. 17: W, 23-13 at Tennessee

Nov. 24: W, 30-27 OT at Chicago

Dec. 1: vs. Arizona

Dec. 8: vs. Atlanta

Dec. 16: vs. Chicago

Dec. 22: at Seattle

Dec. 29: vs. Green Bay

Jan. 4 or 5: at Detroit

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