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News | Minnesota Vikings – vikings.com

Early Look: Bears at Vikings

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Vikings saw their playoff dreams get dashed with Saturday's 38-25 loss to the Packers at Lambeau Field.

Minnesota is now 7-8 and will finish in third place in the NFC North regardless of this Sunday's noon (CT) home game against Chicago. The Vikings are 4-3 in their first season at U.S. Bank Stadium.

The Bears are 3-12 and will finish in last place in the division for the third straight season. Chicago lost to Washington 41-21 on Saturday.

Here's an early look at Sunday's matchup:

Passing

Vikings quarterback Kyle Rudolph completed 34 of 50 passes (68 percent) for a career-high 382 passing yards against the Packers. He also threw three touchdowns and no interceptions and compiled a passer rating of 110.6.

Bradford has completed 370 of 519 passes for 3,627 yards with 17 touchdowns and four interceptions this season. He has a completion percentage of 71.3 and can break the single-season record of 71.2 with another efficient game Sunday.

Bears quarterback Matt Barkley completed 24 of 40 passes (60 percent) for 323 yards against Washington. He threw two touchdowns but was intercepted five times and had a passer rating of 62.8.

The Vikings faced quarterback Jay Cutler in Week 8 but will see Barkley on Sunday. Barkley has completed 112 of 202 passes (58.9 percent) for 1,486 yards with eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Barkley, Cutler and Brian Hoyer have each started five games at quarterback for Chicago this season. Each is 1-4 and has thrown for 1,000-plus yards.

Rushing

Minnesota ran the ball effectively against Green Bay, carrying 20 times for 93 yards for an average of 4.7 yards per carry. Jerick McKinnon had 11 attempts for 50 yards, and Nick Easton had six carries for 34 yards.

McKinnon leads the Vikings with 143 carries for 450 yards and also has a touchdown. Asiata has 133 attempts for 388 yards with a team-high six scores on the ground. The Vikings rank last in the NFL with an average of 72.1 rushing yards per game.

Bears running back Jordan Howard had 18 carries for 119 yards against Washington, while Jeremy Langford had seven attempts for 19 yards and a touchdown.

Howard, a rookie, has 229 carries for 1,178 yards and six touchdowns this season. He is averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Langford has 52 carries for 174 yards and four touchdowns.

Receiving 

Wide receiver Adam Thielen became the fifth player in Vikings history to have 200-plus receiving yards in a game. The Minnesota native set single-game career highs in catches (12), yards (202) and touchdowns (two) against the Packers.

Tight end Kyle Rudolph had six grabs for 53 yards, McKinnon had five catches for 35 yards and wide receiver Stefon Diggs had four catches for 29 yards and a touchdown.

Thielen, who has 68 receptions, leads the Vikings with 960 receiving yards and has added five touchdowns. Diggs has a team-high 84 catches for 903 yards and three scores. Rudolph has 72 grabs for 723 yards and a team-high six touchdowns.

Bears wide receiver Cameron Meredith had nine catches for 135 yards and a touchdown against Washington. Alshon Jeffery had five catches for 92 yards, while Deonte Thompson had three grabs for 34 yards and a score.

Meredith leads Chicago with 62 catches for 827 yards and is tied for the team lead with four touchdown catches. Jeffery has 51 receptions for 811 yards and two scores. Tight end Zach Miller had four touchdown grabs before going on injured reserve.

Defense

The Vikings defense gave up 348 total yards to Green Bay on Saturday, including six plays that went for 20 yards or more. It was the second straight disappointing effort for Minnesota, which has given up 72 points in its past two games.

Linebacker Eric Kendricks had 2.5 sacks, and Danielle Hunter had 1.5 sacks for the Vikings, who did not force any turnovers.

Minnesota ranks second in yards allowed per game (314.3) and is eighth in points allowed (19.8).

Hunter leads the Vikings with 12 sacks, and cornerback Xavier Rhodes has a team-high four interceptions.

Chicago allowed 478 total yards to Washington, 208 of which came on the ground. The Bears did not force any turnovers. 

The Bears rank 12th in yards allowed per game (344.9) and are tied for 19th with 24.1 points allowed per game.

Linebacker Willie Young leads the team with 7.5 sacks. Cornerback Tracy Porter has a pair of interceptions.

Special teams

Vikings kicker Kai Forbath made a pair of field goals against the Packers and is now 14-for-14 on the season. He made two of three extra point tries.

Kevin McDermott averaged 37.2 yards per punt, and Marcus Sherels had a 20-yard punt return.

Bears kicker Connor Barth has made 17 of 22 field goal attempts this season. Punter Pat O'Donnell averages 43.9 yards per punt.

The Vikings have three total returns for touchdowns this season (two on punt returns and one on a kickoff return). Chicago has a punt return for a score.

Over the Years

The Vikings and Bears have met 111 total times, with all but one game coming in the regular season. Minnesota is 57-51-2 against Chicago in the regular season and 0-1 in the postseason.

The Vikings beat Chicago twice last season but will be looking to avoid getting swept by the Bears this time around.

Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer is 3-2 against the Bears.

Last Meeting: Bears 20, Vikings 10, Oct. 31, 2016, in Chicago

The Vikings dropped their second straight game after a 5-0 start as Chicago set the tone early on Monday Night Football.

Howard had a 69-yard run on Chicago's third play from scrimmage that led to a Bears field goal. Chicago added 10 more points in the second quarter before the Vikings got a field goal just before the half.

Chicago added a touchdown pass early in the third quarter before Diggs hauled in a 25-yard touchdown catch with just under six minutes left in the fourth quarter.

The Vikings allowed 403 total yards, including 158 on the ground in their worst defensive effort up to that point in the season.

Bradford threw for 228 yards and a touchdown but was sacked five times, losing one fumble. Asiata carried 14 times for 42 yards and had a season-long run of 31 yards.

Diggs led the way with eight catches for 76 yards for the Vikings, and Thielen had three grabs for 40 yards.

Griffen had a sack for Minnesota.

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