It was a party for the Vikings on New Year's Day at U.S. Bank Stadium, as they triumphed 38-10 over the Chicago Bears to cap their season. The win moves the Vikings to 8-8 and helps them avoid a season sweep to the Bears. Here are 10 takeaways from Sunday's win…
1. Complementary football leads to victory
A common thread in the Vikings five-game winning streak was complementary football – multiple phases of the team playing well to make life easier for the other and/or multiple phases playing well enough to compensate for the other(s). On Sunday, all three phases of the Vikings played well. The offense scored four touchdowns and averaged 6.0 yards per play, the defense created four turnovers and scored a touchdown, and special teams accounted for a field goal, 80 return yards and seven Bears possessions beginning at or inside the 25. Aside from a landslide victory, another statistic that demonstrates to complete team effort by the Vikings on Sunday is the fact that their average drive start was the MIN 37 – including four drive starts in Bears territory.
2. Offensive line stepped up
Was this the best performance of the season for the offensive line? Head coach Mike Zimmer is the one to decide that, but it's clear that Sunday's outing is certainly in the conversation. QB Kyle Rudolph was not sacked and threw for 250 yards on 33 attempts, the running game churned out a per-carry average of 4.4 yards and one touchdown and linemen were called for only one penalty on the afternoon. All of this on top of the fact that Sunday marked the team's eighth different starting combination and LT TJ Clemmings left the game in the first half giving way for newly-signed Rashod Hill to take over. Overall, it was an outstanding day for the Minnesota Moving Company.
3. Vikings on the right side of penalty, turnover margins
The Vikings played a clean game overall and forced the Bears into several mistakes. A Bradford interception in the 4th quarter and two penalties totaling 15 yards were the only Vikings mistakes, while the Vikings took the ball from the Bears five times and Chicago was penalized six times for 49 yards. One of the Vikings takeaways led to a touchdown when Danielle Hunter and Linval Joseph combined to sack and strip Bears QB Matt Barkley, which led to an Everson Griffen recovery and 20-yard sprint to the end zone. The Vikings also took the ball from the Bears via interceptions by Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes and fumbles by punt returner Bralon Addison (recovered by Jayron Kearse) and RB Jeremy Langford (recovered by Anthony Harris).
4. Red Zone, 3rd down efficiency makes a difference
The Vikings executed in crucial situations on Sunday, namely in the red zone and on the money down. Bradford and Co. make four trips into the red zone and came away with three touchdowns and they also converted half of their 3rd downs (six of 12).
5. Another big day for Bradford
Bradford finished the season the way he's played for most of it – sharply. He completed 25 of 33 attempts for 250 yards with three touchdowns and the one interception for a passer rating of 114.5. He finished the season with a team single-season record 395 completions, breaking the mark set by Daunte Culpepper in 2004, and with a NFL record completion percentage of 71.6, breaking the mark of 71.2% set by Drew Brees in 2011. Bradford also finished with eight games with a passer rating north of 100 and with an impressive 20-5 touchdown-interception ratio.
6. Rudy rewrites the record book
Kyle Rudolph capped one of the best seasons ever by a Vikings tight end with a monster day. He had 11 receptions on 15 targets for 117 yards and a touchdown. The 11 receptions is tied for a single-game team record (Joe Senser, 11/29/81) give Rudolph 83 for the season, passing Senser's mark of 79 set in 1981. Rudolph's touchdown was the 29th of his career, which is now tops for a tight end in Vikings history (Steve Jordan had 28).
7. A few other milestones to mention
Bradford and Rudolph weren't the only ones finishing off impressive seasons. Linval Joseph topped 100 tackles for the season with another seven on Sunday. Cordarrelle Patterson had a 35-yard kickoff return and finishes 2016 as the League leader in kickoff return average (31.7) for the third time in his career, a NFL record. Danielle Hunter had a half-sack and finished as the team leader with a career-high 12.5.
8. McKinnon flashed
For the first time this season, RB Jerick McKinnon scored two touchdowns in a game. He displayed his speed and body control on a 16-yard catch and run down the left sideline that ended with a dive for the pylon and a score, and then in the 4th quarter he scored from 10 yards out on a run from the wildcat formation. McKinnon finished the game with 89 yards on 16 carries and 21 yards on three catches – easily his most productive game of the season.
9. A fine farewell for Greenway?
We don't know if Sunday's game was the last for LB Riley Reiff. The 11-year veteran said he'll make the decision with his family in the near future. If it was his last game, it's a positive lasting image for Greenway, the team and the fans. Greenway was introduced last before the game, was credited with two tackles, received a loud ovation from the fans toward the end of the game and was cheered off the field following the game. All things considered (on-field play, durability, off-field involvement), Greenway will go down as one of the greatest Vikings ever.
10. Vikings start 2017 on the right foot
Sunday's win has no consequence on the Vikings 2016 season, but it did help them begin 2017 on the right foot. Two uncharacteristic performances ended the team's playoff hopes in 2016, but aspirations and expectations will remain high in the building for 2017 and there's no better way the team could've begun their preparations for next season than with a dominating win over a division rival.
