The Chicago Bears have embarked on another divisional game on Monday night, taking on the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Bears have had a rough time with the NFC North this season, sporting an 0-3 record so far, and they haven't won a divisional game in more than two years, with 12 losses in a row since then.
That last win came on Thanksgiving in 2021 when the Bears beat the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. The Bears haven't beaten the Vikings since Dec. 20, 2020.
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Here are the latest headlines from the game.
9:48 p.m.: Justin Fields' 4th quarter turnovers continue
For the second week in a row, Justin Fields has turned the ball over in a key situation, giving the Vikings back the ball and putting the Bears at risk of losing their 13th straight divisional game
9:44 p.m.: Vikings score first touchdown
The Vikings scored the first touchdown of the game when Josh Dobbs connected with TJ Hockenson. Vikings lead 10-9
9:42 p.m: Ngakoue questionable
NBC Sports Chicago's Bears Insider Josh Schrock confirms Yannick Ngakoue is questionable to return with cramps.
9:28 p.m.: Bears give it back
Justin Fields is sacked and fumbles the ball. The Vikings recover and get the ball back.
9:25 p.m.: Another INT
The Bears defense picks up their fourth interception as Kyler Gordon makes a slick diving grab. They have taken the ball away four times for the second week in a row.
9:18 p.m.: Santos drills one
Cairo Santos drills a 55-yard field goal to make it 9-3 Bears
9:13 p.m.: End of 3rd
Bears lead the Vikings at the end of the third quarter 6-3.
Justin Fields: 21/28 CP/ATT, 155 YDS, 0 INT, 0 TD
Josh Dobbs: 14/22 CP/ATT, 88 YDS, 3 INT, 0 TD
9:08 p.m.: Another Dobbs Interception
The Bears' defense is putting in work today. TJ Edwards picks off Josh Dobbs for the third time. This is Josh Dobbs' first career three-interception game
8:58 p.m.: Santos gives Bears lead
On the Bears' 3rd-and-2 and Luke Getsy busts out another screen (eye roll) for a gain of 0 yards. Cairo Santos hits a 32-yard field goal. Bears lead 6-3.
8:49 p.m.: Vikings go for it and miss
It was 4th-and-7 from midfield and the Vikings go for it. Kyler Gordon makes an exceptional tackle to keep TJ Hockenson from getting the first down. Turnover on downs. Bears offense takes the field
8:32 p.m.: Halftime - Bears 3, Vikings 3
Just before the half, Vikings kicker Greg Joseph knocks through a 34-yard field goal try.
Justin Fields: 17/22 CP/ATT, 135 YDS, 0 INT, 0 TD
Josh Dobbs: 8/14 CP/ATT, 64 YDS, 2 INT, 1 TD
The Bears are also dominating time of possession, 19:47 to 10:13, and total yards, 158 to 76.
NFL
8:19 p.m.: Teven Jenkins back in
Teven Jenkins returned to the game on the Bears' fifth offensive drive. Cody Whitehair briefly took over at left guard when Jenkins left with an apparent injury during Monday night's game.
8:05 p.m.: Jaquan Brisker Interception
Jaquan Brisker picked up his first interception of the season on this tipped Josh Dobbs pass.
8:00 p.m.: Kyler Gordon called for taunting
Kyler Gordon picked up a penalty in Monday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, but we’d have to say he did so in truly rare fashion.
8:02 p.m.: Cody Whitehair in for Teven Jenkins
After he was benched as the team's starting center, Cody Whitehair is back in for the Bears after Teven Jenkins appeared to suffer an injury during Monday's game.
He entered the game at left guard for the Bears’ third offensive drive of the game. Jenkins appeared to injure himself while blocking on a Cairo Santos field goal attempt. Jenkins lay on the ground while trainers attended to him after the play, but Jenkins walked off the field under his own power.
Whitehair started the season as the team’s starting center, but moved to left guard ahead of Week 1 when Jenkins went on injured reserve with a calf injury. When Jenkins got healthy, the Bears moved Whitehair back to center, but the team benched him in favor of Lucas Patrick due to a series of bad snaps.
It’s unclear what injury Jenkins may have sustained.
7:50 p.m.: Jaylon Johnson interception
Jaylon Johnson picks off Josh Dobbs in the second quarter of the game to end the drive.
7:48 p.m.: Teven Jenkins injured on Bears' field goal
The Bears may have suffered a tough injury in the second quarter of the game, as Teven Jenkins suffered an injury on Cairo Santos' go-ahead field goal.
7:35 p.m.: Montez Sweat makes immediate impact
It took a whopping three plays for defensive end Montez Sweat to make an impact in Monday's game, taking down Josh Dobbs on a third down play:
6:54 p.m.: Ryan Poles spoke to Matt Eberflus about Montez Sweat’s snap count
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles says that he spoke to head coach Matt Eberflus about his usage of defensive end Montez Sweat following last week’s loss to the Detroit Lions.
During an interview on ESPN 1000, Poles revealed that he had a conversation with the coach about Sweat and the team’s other impact players, emphasizing that they needed to be on the field in key situations.
“My big thing is just in critical moments having players on the field that can impact the game. We’ve had conversations about that,” he said.
According to Pro Football Focus, Sweat was on the field for 39 snaps for the Bears against the Lions. That number represents 63% of the team’s total defensive snaps in the game.
D'Onta Foreman out, Velus Jones in for Bears vs. Vikings
The Bears' inactive list is officially out, and while D'Onta Foreman will be out, Bears wide receiver Velus Jones will be back in for the first time in three weeks.
Also inactive for the Bears are defensive backs Quindell Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson. Offensive lineman Larry Borom, defensive lineman Dominique Robinson and linebacker Noah Sewell are also out, as is quarterback Nathan Peterman.
Justin Jefferson out for Vikings vs. Bears
The Bears will not have to deal with wide receiver Justin Jefferson on Monday night, as the Vikings will not have him on the field for the contest.
Jefferson has been out of action since Oct. 8 when he suffered a hamstring injury, and the Vikings ruled him out for Monday's game just hours before kickoff.
Jefferson is expected to rejoin the team after their by week.
How key Bears rookies can turn Lions meltdown into long-term rebuild positive
The Bears outplayed the NFC North-leading Lions for 54 minutes. They pushed them around and were on the verge of the first signature win of the Matt Eberlfus era. That everything unraveled in six minutes showed the warts of this rebuild and should lead to some difficult conversations about its direction.
The Bears are past the point of moral victories. They need to win games in which they outplay their opponent. There are no more excuses for a lack of execution in critical moments.
But as demoralizing as the Motown Meltdown was, it can be a force for good as the Bears project forward, as Insider Josh Schrock explains.
Luke Getsy's defense of calls vs. Lions says a lot about Justin Fields, Bears' offense
For three quarters in Detroit, Justin Fields and the Bears' offense were clicking.
However, during the fourth quarter, the plan of attack got conservative and kept the door open for the Lions to make a 12-point comeback with under five minutes to play.
Here's how Josh Schrock saw the change in play-calling, and what the Bears can adjust moving forward.