Chicago Bears' Defense Shuts Down Minnesota Vikings

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MINNEAPOLIS -- The Chicago Bears dominated the Minnesota Vikings in several areas Monday night (except on the scoreboard) and it looked like it would cost the Bears when the Vikings took the lead late in the fourth quarter. But Justin Fields orchestrated a final drive that resulted in a field goal and a 12-10 Bears victory.

The Bears are the first team to win without scoring a touchdown after teams previously went 0-28, and it was their first win when not scoring a touchdown since 1993. Chicago (4-8) ended their streak of consecutive NFC North losses at 12 after Fields led the offense on a 10-play, 66-yard drive in the final 2:12 to take the lead for good.

The Vikings lost their second consecutive game in near identical fashion as they did the week before committing far too many turnovers and leaving an exhausted defense unable to protect a late lead.

Last week in Denver, they committed three turnovers and allowed the Broncos a go-ahead touchdown with 1:03 remaining. Monday night, quarterback Joshua Dobbs threw four interceptions and the Bears won on a field goal with 10 seconds remaining.

After a week of intrigue surrounding the Vikings' offensive backfield, the team decided to give Alexander Mattison the start, but Ty Chandler got the first carry of the game. Coach Kevin O'Connell raised the possibility of a shakeup after Mattison lost his second fumble of the season last week in a loss to the Denver Broncos.

O'Connell said accountability is important, but in the end, he decided against embarrassing Mattison, a well-liked veteran, in an obvious way. Ultimately, Mattison (10 carries for 52 yards) and Chandler (four carries for eight yards) ended up splitting the load.

Bad football. The Bears ran on 22 of the first 25 plays of the game, and Dobbs threw interceptions on two of the Vikings' first three possessions.

The Vikings rest up for their next game against the Raiders on December 10.

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