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Vikings vs. Bears Game Observations: Late Rally Upended on Final Kick

MINNEAPOLIS — A furious Vikings rally that resulted in a one-point lead proved not to be enough Sunday as Bears kicker Cairo Santos netted a 48-yard field goal as time expired for a 19-17 Chicago victory.

The Bears took over at the Vikings 40-yard line with 42 seconds remaining thanks to a 56-yard kickoff return by Devin Duvernay.

The long return by Duvernay immediately flipped momentum back after the Vikings had driven 85 yards in 2:24 and taken a 17-16 lead with 50 seconds remaining after J.J. McCarthy went 6-for-8 for 76 yards and found Jordan Addison for a 15-yard touchdown.

"You can feel it in the building. You can feel the momentum. That's a great way to describe it when J.J. throws the touchdown to Jordan in the 2-minute drill," Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell said. "As I told [McCarthy] earlier in the game, no matter what this game has been like, I'm going to tell you at the end of this, 'Just move the ball down the field to help us win this game. And I'm proud of you.'

"And I told him that the result didn't end up staying 17-16, and they beat us by making the play there and then making the kick."

McCarthy had converted a fourth-and-4 during the possession with a 5-yard pass to Addison for the receivers first catch of the game on his sixth target.

The comeback by Chicago, which led 10-3 at halftime and 16-3 going into the third quarter, spoiled Harrison Smith becoming the sixth player to appear in at least 200 regular-season games for the Vikings.

Minnesota fell to 4-6 on the season, 1-4 at home and 2-1 in the division missing a chance to sweep Chicago, which improved to 7-3.

Here are four more observations.

1. Picks lead to and deny points

McCarthy was intercepted twice in the final four minutes of the first half, but the Vikings defense limited the Bears to three points off the turnovers.

The first interception occurred when McCarthy targeted Jefferson on a throw over the middle on first-and-10 from the Minnesota 31. The QB was hit by Grady Jarrett as he threw the ball, and Kevin Byard III nabbed his NFL-leading fifth interception of the season. Byard returned the ball 24 yards to the Minnesota 25.

"I wasn't able to put everything I wanted on it, but obviously, with a rotating safety and them playing two over the top, I just have to be aware of that guy and realize we have a flat element tying him down," McCarthy said. "But coming from depth, it's going to be really hard for him to get tied down by a running back. So just being aware, another great learning lesson against coverage like that. I should have just checked the ball down to C.J. Ham and kept it moving."

The Vikings defense responded with a tackle for a 2-yard loss by Jay Ward on first down and forced a 38-yard field goal by Cairo Santos at the 2-minute warning.

Minnesota followed by driving from its 34 to the Chicago 35 thanks to a 28-yard completion to Jefferson, but after being awarded a fresh set of downs at the 30 due to a holding penalty, McCarthy targeted Addison with a throw to the end zone that was nabbed by former cornerback Nahshon Wright for a touchback with 35 seconds remaining.

The Vikings would have been within Will Reichard's range to add a field goal before halftime if not for the second interception.

2. Defense does everything but get a takeaway

Minnesota's defense produced multiple stops, despite playing from behind and being on the field for 36:59.

But the group again failed to muster a takeaway on 73 snaps by the Bears offense (compared to 54 by Minnesota).

The Bears fumbled an exchange one time late in the first quarter, but Rome Odunze pounced on the ball at the Chicago 10-yard line. The drive ultimately ended with a punt, allowing the Bears to flip the field and prevent Minnesota from building on an early 3-0 lead.

Blake Cashman recorded 15 tackles, Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner each sacked Caleb Williams once, and Minnesota totaled 10 tackles for loss, but it wasn't enough.

Turner played well in place of Jonathan Greenard, who was sidelined with a shoulder injury from Week 10.

View game action photos from the Vikings vs. Bears Week 11 game at U.S. Bank Stadium.

3. Inconsistency on offense

The Vikings offense struggled to build and maintain momentum, which has been a theme for all three phases of this team.

McCarthy finished 16-of-32 passing with 150 yards, one touchdown and the two picks. His final passer rating was 47.7.

"There's a lot of things that I have to improve on, and accuracy is one of them, and I promise you, I'm going to wake up tomorrow and get ready to go to get work on it," McCarthy said. "There's a bunch of different things. I think mechanics is definitely a big part of it. There's just always a work-in-progress with everything at the quarterback position. So just gotta wake up tomorrow and get ready to get back to work."

He suffered a couple of overthrows but also had numerous opportunities end with drops.

Passes that hit the hands of Justin Jefferson, Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Aaron Jones, Sr., all resulted in drops.

The Vikings ran the ball 22 times for 115 yards.

Minnesota finished 3-for-11 on third downs. Here's a rundown:

Third-and-5: McCarthy pass to Adam Thielen for 6

Third-and-2: Run by Jones for 2

Third-and-3: Incompletion to Jefferson

Third-and-7: Deep pass by McCarthy to Addison (hit his outstretched hands)

Third-and-6: Incompletion to Jones on a wheel route in the red zone

Third-and-4: Incompletion to Jones

Third-and-7: McCarthy pass to Jefferson for 27

Third-and-7: (was third-and-2 before a false start): Incompletion to Jefferson

Third-and-2: Incompletion to Jefferson

Third-and-8: Incompletion to Hockenson

Third-and-4: Incompletion to Jones (was tipped at the line of scrimmage)

View pregame photos as the Vikings prepare for the Week 11 game against the Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium.

4. Split day for special teams

The long kick return and game-winner by the Bears will be the final takeaways, but the Vikings also had a couple of impressive returns by rookie Myles Price.

"That was a massive, massive play. And in the day where the special teams units have had such a role in helping us win the field position battle," O'Connell said. "I think our average drive start was the 32, and there were some quality returns that contributed to that. I think we had one holding call that forced us to start a little bit backed up on a nice return by Myles. But then that one play, and it's just the nature of when you're losing the turnover battle and maybe you're leaving some plays out there, your margin for error becomes razor thin for your whole team, and that becomes every snap, no matter whether it's offense, defense or in the kicking game."

Price returned three punts for 79 yards, highlighted by a 43-yarder in the fourth quarter. He averaged a whopping 26.3 on those opportunities.

Price also returned four kickoffs 93 yards with a long of 28. His average of 23.3 would have been longer if not for a holding penalty.

View photos of the Vikings arriving to U.S. Bank Stadium for the Week 11 matchup vs. the Bears.

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