Vikings-Bears recap: Game balls, numbers to know, what's ahead

Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson helped the Vikings dominate the first half, while Cameron Dantzler saved the game at the end.

October 10, 2022 at 3:18PM
Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins had a brilliant first half, when he was 22 of 26 for 217 yards and a touchdown, and led another late game-winning drive. (Anthony Soufflé, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

GAME BALLS

CB Cameron Dantzler: He made perhaps his biggest play as a Viking, stripping former teammate Ihmir Smith-Marsette of the ball in the final minute with his team clinging to a seven-point lead.

QB Kirk Cousins: He'd love to have that fourth-quarter interception back, but he earned lots of praise from his coach for a brilliant first half, when he was 22 of 26 for 217 yards and a touchdown, and for leading another late game-winning drive.

WR Justin Jefferson: What else is new? He had 12 catches for 154 yards, and even had a 23-yard completion on a trick play. It was his 17th career game with 100+ receiving yards, and sixth with more than 150.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

12 of 15: Vikings' third-down conversion rate.

2:52: Time left in the first half when Kirk Cousins threw his first incompletion after 17 completions in a row to start the game.

15: Completions for Bears QB Justin Fields, his most in a game this season. He had 34 completions in four games entering Sunday. He also had his highest completion percentage (71.4%) after entering with a 50.7% rate, and his first 200-yard passing game.

1-for-5: Greg Joseph on field-goal attempts over 50 yards this season after missing two Sunday.

42: Career rushing TDs for Dalvin Cook after getting two Sunday. He passed Ted Brown for fourth in franchise history. Up next: Chuck Foreman and Bill Brown's 52.

JEFFERSON WATCH

Jefferson needs 601 more yards to pass Randy Moss' NFL record for most yards in a receiver's first three seasons. He needs to average 121.1 yards over the next 12 games to reach his goal of a 2,000-yard season.

UP NEXT

at Dolphins, Sunday, Noon

The big question: Who will play quarterback for Miami (3-2)? Tua Tagovailoa is still working his way back from a concussion that changed the league's medical protocols. Former Viking Teddy Bridgewater left Sunday's 40-17 loss to the Jets early because of those new concussion protocols and was replaced by 25-year-old rookie seventh-rounder Skylar Thompson, who was 19 of 33 for 166 yards and an interception.

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