Week 17 game review: Minnesota Vikings vs Chicago Bears
The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Chicago Bears in week 17 of the NFL season, but what were some good, bad, and interesting things from the game?
The final week of the NFL season is here for the Minnesota Vikings. While they have been eliminated from the division race and the playoff picture, there is still a lot left for this team to prove before heading into the offseason.
Their opponent in week 17 is the Chicago Bears. Their NFC North rival is having a hugely disappointing year, coming into the game with only 3 wins and none of them coming on the road. However, they did defeat the Vikings in Chicago earlier in the year.
Minnesota came away with a huge win in this game, defeating the Bears 38-10. The win went a long way to help give this team and its fans hope and momentum going into the 2017 NFL season.
While the game is in the books, there is a lot left to talk about. Let’s discuss the good stuff, bad things, and interesting occurrences from week 17 of the NFL season starting with the positives, as always!
Jan 1, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes (29) intercepts a pass during the first quarter against the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
The Good Stuff
Jan 1, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Chicago Bears running back Jordan Howard (24) is tackled by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr (55), linebacker Eric Kendricks (54) and defensive end Danielle Hunter (99) during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
The Bad Things
Next: The Interesting Occurrences
Jan 1, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph (82) celebrates his touchdown with quarterback Sam Bradford (8) during the second quarter against the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
The Interesting Occurrences
Jan 1, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon (21) celebrates his touchdown with wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) during the first quarter against the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Overall Impression
This was a great way to say farewell to the 2016 season for Minnesota Vikings fans. While there were a ton of reasons to be disappointed with the team not winning the division title or reaching the playoffs, there is also plenty of cause to be pleased with what the team accomplished.
More from The Viking Age
Minnesota seems to have their quarterback in Sam Bradford, at least for now. However, they now know positions they need to target for immediate upgrades in the offseason as well as know they have to make some tough decisions on some personnel going forward.
This game may have helped some of that, since several usual starters were forced to sit out the contest and others had the opportunity to shine in front of a very pleased crowd at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Aside from the distraction with the protest banner inside the stadium, the atmosphere was calm and cool. The Vikings did their job efficiently and reminded fans of just what this team can do on any given Sunday.
Sadly, this will be my last game review of the season, so I hope you enjoyed it. I’ll be back for the 2017 season with more, and hopefully a lot more great games to review. Thank you for reading the series, and SKOL VIKINGS until then!
