Chicago
Bears
2-1
38
FINAL
52
Minnesota
Vikings
2-1
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn an electrifying showdown, the Minnesota Vikings topped the Chicago Bears 52-38 in Week 18 of the 2026 season, solidifying their position as a playoff contender. Both teams entered the game with high stakes, but it was the Vikings who emerged victorious, showcasing their offensive prowess.
Kyler Murray put on a masterclass performance, throwing for an impressive 421 yards and six touchdowns, leading the Vikings to a commanding offensive display. Meanwhile, Justin Jefferson was a standout in the receiving game, racking up 282 yards, proving to be a constant deep threat. On the other side, D'Andre Swift shined for the Bears, rushing for a staggering 244 yards, but it wasn't enough to keep pace with the Vikings' explosive attack.
Defensively, the Vikings made crucial plays when it mattered most, with Dallas Turner registering two sacks to disrupt the Bears' rhythm. Blake Cashman led the team with five total tackles, helping to contain Chicago's scoring threats. The turning point came late in the second quarter when Murray connected with Jefferson on a 75-yard touchdown, which shifted momentum firmly in favor of Minnesota and set the tone for the remainder of the game.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyler Murray | QB | 19 | 11 | 58% | 421 | 6 | 4 | 102.4 |
| Caleb Williams | QB | 28 | 15 | 54% | 194 | 3 | 2 | 81.5 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D'Andre Swift | HB | 28 | 244 | 8.7 | 40 | 2 | 72 | 0 |
| Kyler Murray | QB | 2 | 25 | 12.5 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 9 | 21 | 2.3 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Colston Loveland | TE | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Jack Westover | FB | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Cole Kmet | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 7 | 282 | 40.3 | 100 | 5 | 65 | 0 |
| Colston Loveland | TE | 9 | 137 | 15.2 | 16 | 2 | 23 | 0 |
| Jordan Addison | WR | 1 | 63 | 63.0 | 38 | 1 | 63 | 0 |
| Jauan Jennings | WR | 2 | 59 | 29.5 | 10 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| Cole Kmet | TE | 1 | 19 | 19.0 | 11 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| D'Andre Swift | HB | 1 | 18 | 18.0 | 4 | 1 | 18 | 0 |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 15 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Rome Odunze | WR | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | — | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Zavion Thomas | WR | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Jack Westover | FB | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Luther Burden III | WR | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | — | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blake Cashman | MIKE | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Devin Bush | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Eric Wilson | WILL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dillon Thieneman | SS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dallas Turner | LEDG | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| James Pierre | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Tyrique Stevenson | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Andrew Van Ginkel | REDG | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jaylon Johnson | CB | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Rodgers Sr | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Montez Sweat | LEDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Austin Booker | LEDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Metellus | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Byron Murphy Jr | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Noah Sewell | SAM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domonique Orange | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harrison Smith | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Theo Jackson | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Redmond | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Golday | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Xavier Woods | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cam Lewis | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Clark Phillips III | CB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairo Santos | K | 1 | 1 | 3 | 57 |
| Will Reichard | K | 3 | 3 | 5 | 59 |

