Vikings Outlast Bears in Week 2 Stalemate: Here Are 3 Things That Mattered Most

The Purple and Gold won 9-3 on Sunday afternoon—here's what stood out the most.

It wasn't a pretty victory for the Vikings in Week 2, but here's what mattered most from Sunday's win over the Bears. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Vikings kicked off week two with another NFC North matchup, this time against the Bears in Chicago. Circumstances seemed to be against the boys in purple: Kyler Murray didn't clear concussion protocol, Jordan Mason was placed on injured reserve and Jauan Jennings was ruled out for a personal family matter.

Oh, and the weather was an absolute mess at Soldier Field. 

What followed was a messy throwback to what made the NFC North a legendary division in the first place: two teams fighting like hell through the elements to find whatever points they could. Aaron Jones, in particular, stepped up to carry the weight of a desperate Vikings offense, ending with 105 hard-fought yards on the ground and a 9-3 victory.

We cannot talk about this game without acknowledging the worrisome injury to Caleb Williams in the fourth quarter that had him leaving the field in tears (I know I speak for all Vikings Nation when I say we wish him a speedy recovery).

That said, here's what mattered from the Vikings' victory over the Bears.

3. Wentz vs. the weather 

What started with an impressive touch pass to Justin Jefferson for 30 yards turned into a rough first quarter for Carson Wentz. He targeted Jefferson in the back of the end zone, but the two couldn’t connect thanks to contact from rookie safety Dillon Thieneman.

Later, Wentz failed to get the offense properly aligned, leading to a terrible, mistimed and misplaced snap by Blake Brendel over his QB’s head. Wentz was able to recover near the Vikings’ own end zone, leading to a punt. Wentz and Jordan Addison then miscommunicated on the next drive, leading to a missed wide-open pass because neither seemed sure what route to run. 

The rest of the game consisted of similar misses, with a few completions here and there. Wentz ended the day 11-of-20 for 143 yards, while Justin Jefferson had three catches for 55 yards. 

2. Defensive domination 

Byron Murphy Jr. came away with an interception off a Williams’s overthrow with just under two minutes left in the first quarter. First-round pick Caleb Banks registered the biggest play of his young career so far, getting into the backfield to stuff D’Andre Swift, showcasing the explosive first step the team fell in love with. 

Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel combined to bring down Williams to end the first half. Turner ended the day with two sacks, including a game-sealing hit on Tyson Bagent (h/t NFL). 

DALLAS TURNER WALKOFF SACK FOR THE VIKINGS pic.twitter.com/8wGRHUIMKW

— NFL (@NFL) September 20, 2026

Isaiah Rodgers Sr. had the play of the day, blocking a 23-yard field goal attempt by Cairo Santos that could've tied the game in the fourth quarter. The game was ugly, scrappy, but ultimately exactly what was needed to secure a win. 

The biggest problem for the defense Sunday? Tackling. A majority of Chicago’s biggest plays included evaded pressure or broken tackles. While the Vikings’ defense can generate relentless pressure, it means little if defensive coordinator Brian Flores's unit can't consistently bring down QBs and ball carriers. They will have to fix this throughout the season if they want to dominate the league's best offenses. 

1. Windy City Will

Vikings kicker Will Reichard may be the most valuable draft pick for the Kwesi Adofo-Mensah era. Even in terrible weather, the third-year All-World kicker accounted for all nine of Minnesota’s points, including a 49-yarder and a game-sealing kick that bounced in off the right upright. 

Reichard remains a bright spot in a historically painful kicking role for the Vikings. Including Week 2, he's now 4-for-4 on field goals and 4-for-4 on extra-point attempts to begin the season.

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