The Vikings pulled even with the Lions for first within the NFC North with a simple 30-12 win over the Bears.
Listed here are 5 takeaways from one in all two Monday night time video games on the Week 15 schedule.
Be careful for the Vikings within the NFC North
All season, the Lions have stood atop the NFC North. However the Vikings, winners of seven in a row, are pushing them to the end line and may catch them by the beginning of the playoffs.
With Monday’s win, Minnesota (12-2) and Detroit (12-2) are tied for first, and the groups meet in Week 18.
Accidents, significantly on protection, have depleted the Lions. In the meantime, the Vikings have received seven in a row, one of many league’s finest defenses and a balanced offense led by huge receiver Justin Jefferson and operating again Aaron Jones.
The Vikings have a harder schedule for the subsequent two weeks. They play on the highway towards the Seahawks (8-6) and host the Packers (10-4), whereas the Lions play on the Bears (4-9) and 49ers (6-8).
Whereas the schedules favor the Lions, primarily based on group well being, we would a lot fairly be Minnesota.
Brian Flores must be a head coach subsequent season
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores once more confirmed why he deserved to be a head coach in 2025 after one other excellent defensive effort by Minnesota.
The Vikings held the Bears to 1-of-12 on third downs and restricted them to 284 yards, the seventh time Minnesota has held an opponent beneath 300 yards this season.
Flores, the previous Dolphins head coach who is suing the league for discrimination, has repeatedly confirmed this season that he ought to have one other head teaching alternative. If the league passes him over this offseason, it would solely show his level.
It is Ben Johnson or bust for the Bears
If there’s one group with a training opening that might be forgiven for not pursuing Flores, it is the Bears.
Chicago must be all-in on hiring Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who’s helped orchestrate Detroit’s explosive offenses for the previous three seasons.
The Bears have appeared disjointed on offense all season, and Monday was no exception.
Whereas Minnesota’s protection did Chicago no favors, it struggled to do even the easy issues proper.
Within the third quarter, for instance, Bears operating again D’Andre Swift’s one-yard landing was erased due to an unlawful substitution penalty, and the Bears settled for a area purpose.
Chicago has a shiny younger expertise at quarterback in 2024 No. 1 total choose Caleb Williams and should pair him with an offensive coach who can develop him right into a franchise starter.
This offseason, the Bears want handy Johnson a clean verify.
J.J. McCarthy is in good condition for subsequent season
The prevailing sentiment across the league is Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, who’s enjoying on a one-year contract, has earned himself a bigger payday than Minnesota can provide him this offseason.
That may put Vikings 2024 first-round choose J.J. McCarthy, who suffered a season-ending ACL harm through the preseason, in line to start out in 2025.
Arguably, no different younger quarterback can be in a greater state of affairs. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has established himself as one of many league’s finest quarterback coaches. And with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, McCarthy could have one of many league’s high huge receiver duos.
The Vikings have set McCarthy up for achievement.
What is the level of flex scheduling?
What good is flex scheduling if the league does not use it? In Week 15, the league had not one however two dreadful Monday night time matchups, with Falcons-Raiders rounding out the poor slate of video games.
The NFL’s versatile scheduling procedures enable the league to maneuver Monday night time video games for higher primetime showcases, which is why it is complicated the league did not transfer one in all these two duds.
CBS and FOX in all probability would have blocked Payments-Lions or Steelers-Eagles from being moved from their stations, however even Bucs-Chargers or Colts-Broncos would have been preferable to the clunkers we acquired as an alternative.
