Chicago
Bears
5-11
13
FINAL
45
Minnesota
Vikings
10-6
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a dominant display, the Minnesota Vikings topped the Chicago Bears 45-13 in Week 18, solidifying their playoff positioning with a resounding victory. The stakes were high, as both teams aimed for a strong finish to the season, but it was the Vikings who emerged victorious, showcasing their offensive prowess.
Leading the charge for Minnesota was quarterback Baker Mayfield, who delivered a stellar performance with 435 passing yards and six touchdown passes. Wide receiver Darius Slayton was his favorite target, racking up an impressive 224 receiving yards, making big plays that kept the Bears' defense on their heels. Meanwhile, Breece Hall provided some resistance for Chicago with 87 rushing yards, but it wasn't enough to keep pace with the Vikings’ explosive offense.
Defensively, the Vikings were equally impressive, with key contributions from Brandon Jones, who led the team in tackles, and A.J. Terrell Jr., who snagged an interception to halt a potential scoring drive. The game's turning point came in the second quarter when Mayfield connected with Slayton for a 75-yard touchdown, shifting the momentum firmly in Minnesota's favor. With their offense firing on all cylinders and a staunch defense backing them up, the Vikings cruised to victory.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 24 | 21 | 88% | 435 | 6 | 0 | 158.3 |
| Joe Milton | QB | 24 | 11 | 46% | 141 | 2 | 2 | 57.8 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breece Hall | HB | 12 | 87 | 7.3 | 12 | 0 | 43 | 0 |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| George Pickens | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darius Slayton | WR | 6 | 224 | 37.3 | 76 | 3 | 75 | 0 |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba | WR | 8 | 114 | 14.3 | 67 | 3 | 59 | 0 |
| George Pickens | WR | 4 | 48 | 12.0 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Brenton Strange | TE | 1 | 41 | 41.0 | 9 | 0 | 41 | 0 |
| Parker Washington | WR | 2 | 34 | 17.0 | 8 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Breece Hall | HB | 3 | 32 | 10.7 | 38 | 1 | 26 | 0 |
| Darnell Washington | TE | 2 | 30 | 15.0 | 13 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Isaac TeSlaa | WR | 1 | 22 | 22.0 | — | 1 | 22 | 0 |
| Bucky Irving | HB | 4 | 22 | 5.5 | 19 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.J. Terrell Jr | CB | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Marshon Lattimore | CB | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Zack Baun | WILL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Jones | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Julian Blackmon | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nate Landman | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| James Pierre | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Germaine Pratt | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Minkah Fitzpatrick | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Laiatu Latu | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kayvon Thibodeaux | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Parker Hughes | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jakobe Thomas | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zaire Franklin | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaylon Jones | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Rodgers Sr | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zyon McCollum | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah McDuffie | SAM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Aubrey | K | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Wil Lutz | K | 1 | 1 | 6 | 55 |

