Jordan Addison picked up at Soldier Field where he left off in Nashville.
The second-year wide receiver submitted a career-long, 69-yard catch-and-run Sunday and a career-high 162 yards receiving on eight catches as Minnesota defeated Chicago 30-27 in overtime to pass its third straight road test.
The triumph pushed the Vikings to 9-2 in 2024 and 4-0 since their last loss.
"I've been waiting for this Addison kind of game," Head Coach Kevin O'Connell said afterward.
Addison's breakout was part of Minnesota's capitalization on all the attention Chicago placed on Justin Jefferson.
A week after shattering Torry Holt's all-time mark for receiving yards in a player's first five seasons, Jefferson was held to 7 on a single reception in regulation. Of course, his impact wasn't completely tamed. Jefferson drew a 35-yard defensive pass interference penalty and steered primary coverage away from teammates. He also nearly iced the win with a 40-yard TD in the final four minutes, but it was nullified because Brandon Powell was flagged for setting a screen and sending "Jets" to wide-open grass.
In overtime, Jefferson came alive with a 20-yard catch shortly after Addison's clutch 13-yard conversion on third down from the Vikings 21 kept Minnesota on the field and on the way to its 23rd one-score win under O'Connell.
They got the ultimate assist from tight end T.J. Hockenson, who secured three catches for 48 yards in the extra period and seven for 114 overall, his most productive performance post-ACL injury and since Week 10 of the 2023 slate when he ledgered 11 receptions for 134 yards in a Vikings win against New Orleans.
"We have a lot of firepower in this offense, but Jets is obviously at the top. Jets takes coverage from us to let us be able to do our job. He may have had a down day, but that's not, like we didn't have 'up days.' We just did our jobs because they were taking [account of] him," Hockenson said. "That guy's a dog. One of the best receivers – the best receiver probably ever. We're all so fortunate to be able to play by him.
"I'm just happy we came out with the win, to be honest with you. Anything that I can do in any situation to be able to help this team win is huge," added Hockenson, who played his most extensive role to date this season in part because tight end Josh Oliver was out. "Obviously, Sam [Darnold] trusted me a few times and I was able to come down with it. To come out of Chicago with a win, that's hard. NFC North games, those are tough games. … The momentum wasn't on our side, but nobody in here blinked."
Darnold wasn't blitzed on any of his 12 dropbacks in the first half and fared well, connecting on seven of 12 throws for 81 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He finished without a pick for the second consecutive week and notched his first 300-yard game in Purple, passing for 330 by way of a 64.7% clip.
Later in the game, Darnold navigated some trickier pockets and thrice took sacks for a net loss of 16 yards. One happened on Minnesota's first offensive snap in OT – but it didn't faze him in the slightest.
"[I was] just going out there executing, taking it one play at a time," Darnold shared the thought process that's been instrumental to his success. "I really do think it's as simple as that. And just not trying to do too much. If I feel like, you know, a play I've got to scramble out of the pocket or something and it's not there, just throw it away. Or sometimes if I need to take a sack, I'm willing to do that. But yeah, just continue to play within the system, within the game – and we'll continue to play solid as an offense."
The most alarming issue, offensively, over the initial 30 minutes was a lack of identity, which was difficult to establish because of a lack of chances. The Vikings were out-possessed at the break 20:29 to 9:31; Chicago ran 17 more plays and outgained Minnesota 214-161. Three three-and-punts were to blame.
"[We were] far from perfect offensively, but I was happy with the way we were able to run it and then get some explosives via the pass, especially when the game was on the line," O'Connell explained.
"We leaned a little bit more on the 21 grouping (two running backs and one tight end) and had some success in that," O'Connell continued. "I do want to highlight C.J. Ham, [who] lost his grandfather this morning – actually a local here in Chicago. By the grace of God, [he] got to spend basically a bunch of time with him last night in his final moments and then C.J. shows up today and plays a lot of snaps."
Minnesota opened the game with major rushing success. On its first drive, running back Aaron Jones, Sr., toted the rock four times for 55 yards, including a season-long carry of 41, which counted as the club's longest rush since Dalvin Cook scampered for 81 in Week 10 of the 2022 season at Buffalo. That early momentum, however, was all for naught as Jones coughed up the ball on a run at Chicago's 1-yard line.
Jones rushed three more times for 5 yards the remainder of the first half and had zero catches.
Late in the third quarter, Jones redeemed himself by plunging into the end zone for his first touchdown in more than one month. The score extended the Vikings lead to 14 points, and reinvigorated Jones. He wound up a touch shy of tying his season high in opportunities, which he set with 26 in Week 4 at his old stomping grounds. Jones posted 22 rushes for 106 yards and three receptions for 23 in the Windy City.
"It felt so good [to be back in the end zone]," said Jones, who credited the o-line's solid play. "I don't think it's ever been that long. It was just like a sigh of relief. I tried to spike the ball [to take] some of that anger out. It wasn't a great spike, but I'll go back and practice – it was my first time ever spiking the ball."
Time and again, the offense circled back to Addison to break through.
On his 69-yarder, Addison separated with speed from the left slot and made the catch about 30 yards down the field, around the numbers on the opposite side with defenders at both of his hips and then ricocheted off one tackle, tiptoed the sideline and sprinted 35-plus yards before he was dragged down inside the 10.
Was it even the top highlight of Addison's afternoon? Probably not.
Addison made a pair of catches on the third Vikings drive that defied tight defense. First, with a defender draped all over his back – borderline blatant pass interference – Addison flashed his strong hands and ball tracking skills by bringing down a 45-yard reception at the Bears 2. He rose up and proceeded to flex.
On the next snap, Addison stretched his hands to catch a pinpoint pass from Darnold on a crossing route. Again, a defender was sewn into his skin, but Addison didn't care. He celebrated with a subtler dance.
"It was just my day today," remarked Addison, who got off to a similarly explosive start in Tennessee, nabbing a 47-yard catch-and-turn-on-the-jets TD but missed the final quarter-and-a-half due to cramps.
Darnold's second passing touchdown occurred in the low red area, as well, after reserve Vikings linebacker Brian Asamoah II returned a field goal that was blocked by defensive lineman Jerry Tillery close to midfield and set up the offense for a quick score. The Vikings built a 14-7 lead following a defensive pass interference call on a pass intended for Jefferson and a short receiving TD by Jalen Nailor in which he skillfully extended the ball past the pylon.
The Vikings offense displayed its best effort down the stretch, composing five-minute drives of 11 and 10 plays as the Bears battled back and bent but didn't break the will of Minnesota's defense. As a unit, the Vikings offense delivered a season-best 452 total yards and averaged 7.0 yards per play and 8.6 per pass.
The offensive identity turned out to be its depth: Addison – and Hockenson – practically doubling Jefferson's usual output; veteran swing tackle David Quessenberry filling in admirably for Cam Robinson as Darnold's blind-side protector (Robinson left with a foot injury halfway through the first quarter); backup quarterback Nick Mullens relieving Darnold for a pass and converting a third-and-13; and a couple specialists, signed several weeks ago, syncing to hit another decisive kick — Parker Romo's first NFL game-winner, which veteran long snapper Jake McQuaide appropriately retrieved for him.
"I've become a better player because of this man," Romo commented in a post on X.
"I hate doing that to him, but just for him to be able to come in and execute at such a high level – obviously in London and today – [it's] just an incredible job by him," Darnold said of Mullens' admirable and sudden entrance. "It shows the preparation that he kind of exemplifies every single week."
O'Connell added: "Our whole team, these guys are a really, really tough group and they're so totally connected and just relentless, even when we cause a lot of the things, like giving up an 11-point lead."
When Romo's third field goal of the day split the uprights and Minnesota was able to breathe a little easier, the realities – and silver linings – of a very unexpected Week 12 ending began to sink in its teeth.
The Vikings learned yet another way to win, and that's an incredibly important lesson right now.
