Murphy: The season remains alive despite sloppy Chicago showing

Brian Murphy writes that the Vikings bought themselves one more chance, no matter how ugly the win over the Bears was

By Brian Murphy

Pardon me if the prose paints in blind spots, my eyes are still bleeding from that aversion therapy session we endured Sunday at Soldier Field.

It was a foregone conclusion, the only thing predictable whenever the Vikings visit the spaceship-visits-Rome arena off Chicago’s Lakeshore Drive.

Random scores. Ample turnovers. Phantom penalties. A blinded coach. Sacks. Three-and-outs. Absentee quarterback play. And defense. Lots and lots of defense.

The Vikings slinked out of town after scoring six more points than the more hapless Bears after fending off an undrafted Division II backup quarterback. They bought another week of relevance, because 1-5 is not even a wake. It’s the next day, when you go back to work.

They defeated a rookie quarterback in over his head in Carolina two weeks ago. Two weeks later, they chased Justin Fields to the sideline with a throwing hand injury early in the third quarter in favor of Tyson Bagent.

You know Bagent. Of Shepherd University. Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.

Minnesota’s victory was essential to keeping its fingernails on the cliff. But the Vikings did nothing to inspire skeptics and cautious believers who are going to be looking through fanned fingers when the agitated San Francisco 49ers visit next Monday night.

They left a sure win on the table in Cleveland, lost players who are key to their firepower to injury and still are poised to treat the Vikings as a bone to be chewed.

It’s that time of year, once again, when the clarion call goes out for Kirk Cousins to be the best quarterback on the field next week. Heck, the best player. 

Own the moment. Stand and deliver. Against Brock Purdy. At home.

Never mind the numbers. Lead a game-winning or game-snuffing drive against a Super Bowl contender. Burnish the free agent resume. Keep us engaged at least until the snow flies.

As for Sunday’s performance, Cousins ended the game taking a knee. So there was that. 

Playing without star receiver Justin Jefferson, the Vikings couldn’t protect Cousins or establish much of a run game. They finally won the turnover battle, daggering the Bears when Byron Murphy Jr. intercepted a badly underthrown heave from Bagent inside 2 minutes.

Jordan Hicks shined on defense with an interception and 42-yard scoop and score fumble recovery.

Despite a multitude of sins on offense, the defense showed up Sunday. They might as well have finished it.

“We just couldn't seem to throw, make the catch, make the play, and then other times we just had some really long yardage where we were checking down underneath, and it was hard to get to the sticks,” Cousins said. 

Coach Kevin O’Connell called it “a revolving door of missed assignments from some of our more reliable players.”

That’s all you need to discuss. Suppress the trauma. Never speak of Chicago again.

So Minnesota’s 2023 season comes down to a Week 7 prime-time game on national television. The fans have shown up three times to U.S. Bank Stadium and been sent home snarling despite fulfilling one of the premium home field advantages in the NFL.

What about the Vikings? Will they lean into the moment and steal a victory they need as much psychologically as practically?

I don’t know about you, but it’s way too early to start plotting to win April when it’s still October. Must-win games are so much more entertaining than must-play games.

It’s Cousins last time to force a next time during his relentlessly undefinable tenure as a lame duck quarterback with one playoff victory and enduring contract leverage.

On a Monday night, of course.

Good thing this stuff writes itself when you’re trying to unsee those three lost hours in the Windy City.

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