View game action images as the Vikings take on the Chicago Bears in the last game of 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
MINNEAPOLIS — Bye, bye, bye.
The Vikings said "bye" to the 2017 regular season and calendar year with a 23-10 win over the Bears on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The best bye, however, is the one they earned through the first round of the NFC Playoffs by finishing the season with a 13-3 mark for the second-most victorious regular season (15-1 in 1998) in team history.
The Vikings will be the No. 2 seed and host a Divisional round game on Saturday, Jan. 13 or Sunday, Jan. 14.
Latavius Murray rushed 20 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns, and Case Keenum connected with Stefon Diggs for a 15-yard touchdown. Diggs became the fastest Vikings player to record 200 receptions (40 career games) and finished with six catches for 65 yards.
Keenum completed 21 of 29 passes for 189 yards and had a passer rating of 101.1. Keenum also connected with Thielen six times for 61 yards.
Thielen pushed his season totals to 91 receptions (seventh-most by a Viking) and 1,276 yards (ninth-most by a Viking).
Minnesota's defense was again stifling at home, shutting down Chicago's offense and a bag-full of gadget plays. The Bears used deception on a punt return for their only points of the first half, but were denied on two goal-to-go situations in the fourth quarter.
The defense limited Chicago to 30 net rushing yards and was awarded a safety when Mitchell Trubisky was flagged for intentional grounding in his own end zone.
The two-point play gave the Vikings a 16-7 halftime lead, but the Bears didn't go without a fight.
Chicago (5-11) mounted drives in the fourth quarter, but only scored via a 55-yard field goal by Mike Nugent that made it a 23-10 game with 8:22 remaining.
The Vikings opened with a ground-and-pound offense, bringing in reserve lineman Aviante Collins as an extra blocker multiple times.
Murray rushed for gains of 6, 6, 8 and 5 before bulldozing his way into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown on the opening drive.
The Vikings built a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter on Murray's second 1-yard score. That drive included a 24-yard pass interference penalty against the Bears in the end zone.
Chicago was able to score its touchdown on a 59-yard punt return by Bryce Callahan thanks to some deception.
Callahan was kneeling along the Bears sideline as Ryan Quigley punted.
Punt returner Tarik Cohen drew the Vikings coverage team away from the football.
Callahan managed to corral the ball with a sliding catch and had enough time to get up and a clear path to the end zone.
