Chicago
Bears
6-2
17
FINAL
72
Minnesota
Vikings
9-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a stunning display of offensive firepower, the Minnesota Vikings crushed the Chicago Bears 72-17 in Week 18 of the 2026 season. With playoff positioning on the line, the Vikings showcased their dominance, leaving no doubt about their readiness for the postseason.
Leading the charge was quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr, who threw for an impressive 412 yards and seven touchdowns, truly lighting up the field. Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr was his favorite target, racking up 165 receiving yards, while Tyrone Tracy Jr contributed on the ground with 47 rushing yards. The Vikings’ offensive onslaught was relentless, making it nearly impossible for the Bears to keep pace.
Minnesota's defense played a crucial role in the victory, highlighted by Malachi Lawrence's three sacks and Eric Stokes' interception. The game turned decisively in the Vikings' favor in the first half, as they capitalized on defensive stops, forcing the Bears into mistakes that led to scoring opportunities. With such a dominant performance on both sides of the ball, the Vikings are poised to make a significant run in the playoffs.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Richardson Sr | QB | 22 | 18 | 82% | 412 | 7 | 0 | 158.3 |
| Fernando Mendoza | QB | 18 | 7 | 39% | 121 | 1 | 3 | 41.4 |
| Michael Penix Jr | QB | 6 | 1 | 17% | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyrone Tracy Jr | HB | 8 | 47 | 5.9 | 21 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Javonte Williams | HB | 5 | 12 | 2.4 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Christian Watson | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lajohntay Wester | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Anthony Richardson Sr | QB | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Bryce Lance | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jameson Williams | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brashard Smith | HB | 1 | -2 | -2.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Thomas Jr | WR | 9 | 165 | 18.3 | 44 | 4 | 62 | 0 |
| Bryce Lance | WR | 2 | 56 | 28.0 | 15 | 1 | 51 | 0 |
| Christian Watson | WR | 1 | 52 | 52.0 | 4 | 1 | 52 | 0 |
| Tyrone Tracy Jr | HB | 2 | 33 | 16.5 | 16 | 0 | 37 | 0 |
| Jameson Williams | WR | 2 | 28 | 14.0 | 15 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Dalton Schultz | TE | 2 | 23 | 11.5 | 5 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Lajohntay Wester | WR | 2 | 22 | 11.0 | 8 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Matthew Hibner | TE | 2 | 21 | 10.5 | 17 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Javonte Williams | HB | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malachi Lawrence | LEDG | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lorenzo Styles Jr. | SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Braden Fiske | REDG | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Myles Garrett | REDG | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Eric Stokes | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Deion Jones | WILL | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Travis Hunter | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| CJ Allen | MIKE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Quinnen Williams | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Shemar Stewart | REDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Darien Porter | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tacario Davis | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Colton Hood | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ja'Whaun Bentley | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jailin Walker | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dominique Hampton | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Michael Taaffe | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Del'Shawn Phillips | SAM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chamarri Conner | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robert Spears-Jennings | SS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will Reichard | K | 1 | 1 | 9 | 22 |
| Nick Folk | K | 1 | 1 | 2 | 50 |

