The First-Place Bears Have Plenty to Celebrate and Other Bullets

Last night’s game had a little bit of everything.

The Bears played the role of the protagonist, fighting their way for respect. While, on the other side of the field, the Vikings played the antagonist, the worthy adversary trying to maintain a place among the contenders. Beyond that, there was a back-and-forth struggle between offense and defense, a soundtrack of bone-crunching hits, a redemption storyline, and ultimately, a triumphant group of Bears claiming their stake in the NFC North.

The final score of 25-20 wasn’t indicative of how dominant the Bears were in that win. Chicago owned the time of possession and made Minnesota one dimensional when its offense was on the field. More than 55 percent of the Vikings’ total yards came on their last two drives to make the game look closer than it was throughout the night. The Bears dominated the first 52 minutes of that game as they jumped out to a 22-6 lead. I want to be more upset that the team hasn’t quite found a way to finish off games in emphatic way, but winning ugly is still winning.

They’re not all going to be oil paintings, but there’s no denying last night was a piece of work. Surely something worthy of depiction via an artistic rendition of Club Dub:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqWVfGMHRUF/

OK, so we didn’t get the Mitch Trubisky statement game. Bummer. And the two-interception performance probably resurrected memories of the Jay Cutler era for those who haven’t been keeping close tabs on the Bears this year. But Trubisky made plays when he needed to and led the team to victory. His arm strength and decision-making were detrimental on the two drives that ended in interceptions, but his mobility was a game-changing factor and his resilience was felt throughout the night. Sure, it felt like every fourth quarter pass attempt was a nightmare waiting to happen. But sometimes you need a win like that to reel you in and provide perspective.

Oh, man. That’s totally something I would’ve written during the Cutler era. Yikes.

Trubisky’s 61.9 passer rating was a season-worst. I guess we’ll have some stuff to dissect in the video room before Thursday’s game.

Things could be worse. Kirk Cousins’ performance wasn’t all that inspiring. The end-game numbers look better because of the late touchdown drives, but that’s not the performance a player who is receiving $26 million this season. Minnesota paid Cousins handsomely to be a quarterback who can beat good defenses and that didn’t happen last night. Cousins’ 76.5 passer rating was a season-low and that’s only because of his garbage-time heroics:

The only thing that was worse than his in-game performance was his pre-game hype speech:

Vikings QB Kirk Cousins to his teammates just now on NBC: "They're not the reason this game moved to prime time. We are."

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) November 19, 2018

There’s some real October Clayton Kershaw-ish stuff that happens when Cousins plays in prime time:

Kirk Cousins falls to 4-12 in career prime time games.

— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) November 19, 2018

You like that?

Akiem Hicks as the player of the game? As if there was any other choice:

Da ⚓️, @The_Dream99 gets the @Gatorade shower tonight! pic.twitter.com/BOw3wbnEhD

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) November 19, 2018

OK, so maybe Khalil Mack deserves a say in this thing. In three primetime games in 2018, Mack has 3 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 3 forced fumbles, and a pick-six.

And then there’s the Raiders:

#Raiders LBs are up to 1,531 defensive snaps this season without a single sack, fumble recovery, forced fumble or interception

— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) November 19, 2018

I’ve lost count of how many offensive linemen he’s thrown like a rag-doll this year:

Khalil Mack does not need both of his arms to destroy you. pic.twitter.com/9iTPEptYSy

— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) November 19, 2018

I feel like “disruption” doesn’t do it justice:

Akiem Hicks and Khalil Mack were instrumental in the Bears 25-20 win against the Vikings in Week 11.

Hicks (8) and Mack (7) combined for 15 Disruptions, the most of any defensive duo in Week 11.#MINvsCHI #DaBears pic.twitter.com/WJVIli3CWp

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 19, 2018

Leonard Floyd’s play has been on an up-swing since the Bills game and that it continued for a third straight week makes me feel some type of way. Just check out this play:

Watch #94 on this play. Leonard Floyd made the Amos pick. This is how takeaways happen, pressure up front. pic.twitter.com/jmU5l5czTy

— Brad Robinson (@bradrobinson8) November 19, 2018

I didn’t want to lose it in the shuffle, but Floyd’s pressure up the middle on Cousins’ final throw of the first half totally forced the misfire and led to an easy Adrian Amos interception. More, please.

Eddie Jackson continues to blow my mind:

Per the Bears, Eddie Jackson has 4 defensive touchdowns since 2017 — no other player has more than 2 in that span.

And he’s the first player since at least 1930 with a fumble recovery for a TD and an interception return TD in consecutive seasons.

— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) November 19, 2018

I’m glad I don’t have to answer this question:

Akiem Hicks on Bears' defense: "Who do you block? Who do you block? That’s the question. Do you block Leonard Floyd? Do you block Eddie Goldman? Do you block Akiem? Do you block Khalil? Who are you gonna block? That’s the question that we want every offense to have to figure out"

— JJ Stankevitz (@JJStankevitz) November 19, 2018

So much focus on what defenses on both sides did, but let’s not lose sight of Tarik Cohen having Harrison Smith – one of the league’s best safeties – trying to tackle ghosts in the open field:

.@TarikCohen just shook Harrison Smith. pic.twitter.com/ytbtPIsoTX

— Greg Braggs Jr. (@GBraggsJr) November 19, 2018

Admit it: You had faith Cody Parkey all along, didn’t you? Matt Nagy sure did:

Never. A. Doubt.

How about Nagy with the wink to Parkey before he nails the kick??! #DaBears pic.twitter.com/avKOfuyy2l

— Josh Frydman (@Josh_Frydman) November 19, 2018

Choreographed celebrations are the best thing to happen to the NFL since the invention of the forward pass:

Row, row, row your speedboat. #DaBears pic.twitter.com/jIYaCvcrib

— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) November 19, 2018

#Bears WR Anthony Miller said his row-your-boat TD celebration wasn't choreographed. He said it was a salute to former NFL receiver Steve Smith.

— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) November 19, 2018

The Bears should honestly win the Super Bowl based on their TD celebrations alone https://t.co/pDgFQFuVBO

— Jordan Owen (@byjordanowen) November 19, 2018

Look how much fun everyone is having:

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1064380901998637056

Whoopsidoodle:

😎 pic.twitter.com/yjgsyGhlTk

— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) November 19, 2018

Celebrate, then shop:

https://twitter.com/BN_Bears/status/1064525352897310720

Two games into their three-games in 12-day stretch and the Bears are undefeated. They held their ground on their home turf against a pair of divisional opponents they hadn’t beaten for a while, so that feels good. Now the Bears go for three-in-a-row against the Lions at Ford Field, where they are winless in five straight. I’ll take a Bears win with a side of mashed potatoes, please and thank you.