Chicago Bears 24-10 Minnesota Vikings: Bears knock Vikings out of playoffs with convincing win
Monday 31 December 2018 06:25, UK
The NFC North champion Chicago Bears and their relentless defense beat the Minnesota Vikings 24-10 on Sunday to knock their divisional rivals out of the playoffs.
With the 24-0 win by the Philadelphia Eagles (9-7) against the Washington Redskins, the Vikings (8-7-1) lost their hold on the final Wild Card spot in the NFC to the defending Super Bowl champions, who will now take on the Bears (12-4) next weekend.
Jordan Howard impressed for the Bears in their convincing win in Minnesota, rushing for 109 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Tarik Cohen too went in for a score on a short run in the fourth quarter that helped stretch out Chicago's lead after a brief rally by the Vikings.
The Bears began the afternoon with an opportunity, albeit unlikely, to get a first-round bye with a victory and a loss by the Los Angeles Rams. But rookie head coach Matt Nagy was unmoved by the big early lead taken by the Rams against the San Francisco 49ers, keeping his starters in for the majority of the game.
Howard helped the Bears jump to a 7-0 lead on their opening possession. He rushed for 55 yards on his first three carries, including a six-yard sprint into the endzone.
Chicago then made it 13-0 in the second quarter on Howard's second rushing TD of the game and his ninth of the season. Taylor Gabriel helped set up the score with a stunning diving catch for a 40-yard pickup.
Minnesota shaved the deficit to 13-3 on a 45-yard field goal by Dan Bailey with 58 seconds remaining in the first half. But frustrations bubbled over for the Vikings as they sensed their postseason chances slipping away, with cameras catching quarterback Kirk Cousins and wide receiver Adam Thielen yelling at one another along the sideline.
Stefon Diggs, who went over 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his four-year career, caught a short touchdown pass right in the third quarter to bring the Vikings back to within three points of the Bears, but that would be as close as the visitors would get.
FIRST QUARTER
Bears 7-0 Vikings: Jordan Howard six-yard touchdown run (Cody Parkey extra point good)
SECOND QUARTER
Bears 13-0 Vikings: Howard one-yard touchdown run (Failed Parkey extra point)
Bears 13-3 Vikings: Dan Bailey 45-yard field goal
THIRD QUARTER
Bears 13-10 Vikings: Kirk Cousins two-yard touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs (Bailey extra point good)
FOURTH QUARTER
Bears 21-10 Vikings: Tarik Cohen three-yard touchdown run (Two-point conversion attempt successful)
Bears 24-10 Vikings: Parkey 42-yard field goal
