Perhaps the best part of Thursday's 36-28 Vikings win over the Steelers, which began with comfort before turning stressful, is that Vikings fans will be able to experience a calmer Sunday than 11 of the 12 involving Minnesota games so far.
Plenty of interesting games across the NFL remain in Week 14, starting with a Sunday Night Football matchup of teams that Vikings fans like to dislike.
Chicago Bears (4-8) at Green Bay Packers (9-3)
7:20 p.m. (CT) Sunday | Lambeau Field | NBC (national broadcast)
Outlook: The Packers are back from their bye and trying to extend their win streak in the long-running series to six. Chicago last won at Lambeau Field on Thanksgiving in 2015 and has just one win in the series since. Green Bay can't clinch the NFC North, but a win or tie would mean the Packers would be one more win or another Vikings loss from winning the division.
Bears Notes
Reports are that rookie QB Justin Fields will be back in action after missing the past two games. He has thrown four touchdowns and eight interceptions so far.
RB David Montgomery totaled 141 scrimmage yards (90 rushing and 51 receiving) and scored his fourth rushing touchdown of the season last week in a loss to Arizona.
LB Roquan Smith has recorded at least 100 tackles in each of his four seasons. He has 121 so far.
Packers Notes
Aaron Rodgers is 22-5 against the Bears. He entered Week 14 ranked fourth in the NFL with a season-long passer rating of 105.5.
WR Davante Adams is one of three players, along with Justin Jefferson (Vikings) and Cooper Kupp (Rams), with at least five 100-yard games in the NFL this season.
LB Rashan Gary has recorded a sack in each of his past three games. He has 6.5 this season.
Dallas Cowboys (8-4) at Washington Football Team (6-6)
Noon (CT) Sunday | FedEx Field | FOX (regional broadcast)
Outlook: One of the top rivalries will renew with Washington aiming to win its third in a row and continue its hot streak. After losing four games in a row (Weeks 5-8) on the way to its bye, the Football Team has won four consecutive games (Weeks 10-13). Dallas owned a six-game win streak earlier this season that included a win secured late at Minnesota, but the Cowboys have lost three of their past five.
Minnesota's playoff chances will benefit if Dallas prevails and goes on to win the NFC East.
Cowboys Notes
QB Dak Prescott has 17 total touchdowns (13 passing and four rushing) against one interception in eight career starts against Washington.
RB Ezekiel Elliott has 880 scrimmage yards and nine total touchdowns in nine games against Washington. He's the only NFL player with at least six rushing touchdowns in each of the past six seasons.
CB Trevon Diggs leads the NFL with nine interceptions and is tied for second with 14 passes defended.
Football Team Notes
QB Taylor Heinicke, the former Viking, ranks third among qualifiers since Week 10 in completion percentage (77.3) and passer rating (110).
RB Antonio Gibson has 264 scrimmage yards and four rushing touchdowns in two career games against Dallas.
LB Cole Holcomb is one of two players this season (along with Deion Jones) who has more than 100 tackles and at least five passes defended.
Atlanta Falcons (5-7) at Carolina Panthers (5-7)
Noon (CT) Sunday | Bank of America Stadium | FOX (regional broadcast)
Outlook: This one is included because, barring a tie, one team will have the same record as Minnesota (6-7), which currently ranks eighth in the NFC standings and a spot out of the playoffs. The Vikings hold a head-to-head tiebreaker on the Panthers, who just fired their offensive coordinator during their bye week.
Falcons Notes
QB Matt Ryan needs 86 passing yards to record his 12th consecutive season with 3,000 or more passing yards.
RB Cordarrelle Patterson has reached 1,000 scrimmage yards for the first time in his career. The former Viking has 518 receiving yards and 489 rushing yards. He's caught five touchdowns and scored four more on the ground.
LB Foyesade Oluokun and Minnesota LB Eric Kendricks are the only two players in the NFL to record 15-plus tackles twice this season.
Panthers Notes
QB Cam Newton has totaled 14 touchdowns (11 passing and three rushing) in seven home starts with Carolina against Atlanta.
WR DJ Moore has 12 career games with 100-plus receiving yards.
LB Haason Reddick has 6.5 sacks in six home games this season and is one of four players in the NFL with 10-plus sacks in each of the past two seasons.
