Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell is aware of his team’s strong performance so far this season.
O’Connell knows that many people expected the Vikings to finish near the bottom of the NFC North, and he understands that there’s been a lot of praise for helping quarterback Sam Darnold turn his career around. But O’Connell isn’t satisfied. He wants his team to keep improving and to take the next step when the Vikings (8-2) play the Chicago Bears (4-6) on Sunday at Soldier Field.
“We just have to keep getting better and prove it,” O’Connell said. “Being 8-2 means nothing.”
This Sunday’s divisional matchup is expected to be an exciting one.
The Bears are looking to break their four-game losing streak and get their first win since October 13. Their losing streak started with a heartbreaking loss to the Washington Commanders on a Hail Mary pass, and it stretched to four weeks after last Sunday’s 46-yard field goal attempt by kicker Cairo Santos was blocked by the Green Bay Packers as time ran out.
Despite the tough losses, Bears coach Matt Eberflus is trying to stay positive. “There were a lot of positives to build from,” Eberflus said. “That’s what you have to do.”
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who will face the Vikings for the first time in his career, is hoping to build on a strong performance. The rookie completed 23 of 31 passes for 231 yards last week against Green Bay, and he ran for 70 yards on nine carries.
Chicago’s top wide receiver, DJ Moore, who caught seven passes for 62 yards last week, believes his team can continue to move the ball well against the Vikings’ defense, which ranks among the top 10 in the league.
“With all the players we’ve got, I hope we are able to move the ball on all types of defenses — from the No. 1 defense in the league down to the 32nd,” Moore said. “I hope we can keep it up and hopefully get some wins out of it.”
While the Bears are focused on ending their losing streak, the Vikings are aiming to keep their winning streak alive. Minnesota has won its last three games against the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tennessee Titans.
Darnold, the Vikings’ quarterback, has posted a 100.0 passer rating in his 10 starts this season. He has completed a career-high 67.9% of his passes, throwing for 2,387 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
His next touchdown pass will be a career high for Darnold, who had struggles with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers before joining the San Francisco 49ers as a backup last season.
“I just feel like, you know — not talking about past experiences at all — but I think here it’s the detail that we’ve had ever since OTAs, ever since April,” Darnold said. “We’ve been able to lock in our progressions. Just our feet, our eyes, where they’re supposed to be. And just being on time with the concepts.
“If you play like that, it makes the quarterback position a little bit easier.”
It also helps to have star wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who has 59 catches for 912 yards and five touchdowns. The Vikings’ top rusher is Aaron Jones, a former Green Bay Packer, who has 692 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
The two teams split their games last season. The Vikings won 19-13 in Chicago on October 15, and the Bears got revenge with a 12-10 victory in Minneapolis on November 27.
Chicago is 4-2 at home this season, while Minnesota has a 4-1 record on the road.
