MINNEAPOLIS – This was the week the Minnesota Vikings arrived. A team that would likely end up with a losing record due to an impending quarterback change has instead entered the conversation for the NFC’s best team. After securing a spot in the playoffs over the weekend, the Vikings defeated the Chicago Bears with a resounding 30-12 win at US Bank Stadium on Monday night, handing the Bears their eighth straight loss.

The Vikings’ win increased their record to 12-2 and moved them into a statistical tie with the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles in the conference. The Vikings now have a chance to clinch the NFC North title by winning their final three games. If they can do that, the No. 1 overall seed in the conference will be within reach, depending on the Eagles’ performance during that period and the outcome of several tiebreakers.

The Vikings’ defense held the Bears without a touchdown until the end of the fourth quarter after replacing many of their starters. And to demonstrate how versatile their offense has become, the Vikings got rushing touchdowns from tailbacks Aaron Jones and Cam Akers, the first time they had more than one touchdown on the ground in a game this season.

QB collapse: After a week of intense public discussion about his future, quarterback Sam Darnold had one of his most inaccurate games of the season. He finished the game with 16 incompletions, his second-most in a game this season. It didn’t help that receiver Justin Jefferson dropped a sure-fire touchdown pass in the second quarter, but ESPN Research credited Darnold with six off-target throws, tied for his second-most throws in a game in 2024.

Amazing statistics: According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Jefferson was more open on his first-quarter touchdown than on any of the previous 20 touchdowns he scored on throws into the end zone. Jefferson was four yards away from the nearest Bears defender on the 7-yard catch.

Worrying trend: Right tackle Brian O’Neill, who Vikings coaches said was having one of the best seasons of his career, suffered a right knee injury in the first half and was on and off the field for the remainder of the game. The Vikings struggled to protect Darnold when O’Neill was out, and with left tackle Christian Darrisaw (knee) already out for the season, O’Neill’s continued availability appears to be very important. — Kevin Seifert

Next game: at Seahawks (4:05 p.m. ET, Sunday)

A week of promises and declarations that a quicker start could be achieved with a smarter game plan and better execution produced the same result for the Bears.

Chicago’s eighth straight loss exposed an overpowering offense and a defense that continued to allow too many explosive plays.

It all seemed self-inflicted for the Bears, highlighted by their longest drive of the night – 62 yards – stalling at the Minnesota 11-yard line after a rushing touchdown was negated by an illegal turnover. This lackluster performance is nothing new for Chicago, which faces three playoff teams (Detroit, Seattle and Green Bay) at the end of the season.

QB breakdown: Caleb Williams’ desperation on the bench after suffering a heavy blow in the second half summed up another frustrating performance. The rookie averaged 0.6 air yards per attempt in the first half. The progress Williams made during Chicago’s first run against its NFC North opponents appeared to be disappearing after he missed 17% of his throws, slightly below his season average (22%).

Worrying trend: Problems in the first half. The Bears entered halftime scoreless for the third straight game after turning the ball over twice on downs, a Williams fumble and a punt, leading to another lackluster start. The Bears have been outscored 53-0 in the last three first periods, the worst a team has scored in three games this season.

Biggest hole in the game plan: The Bears failed to convert on third or fourth down. The Bears converted on a third down with 14:35 left in the fourth quarter and finished the game 1 of 12. They were also stopped twice on fourth-and-1 when D’Andre Swift ran the ball.

Most surprising performance: Defensive end DeMarcus Walker had four pressures, giving him a career-high 25 this season. Walker was a bright spot for a Bears pass rush that was supposed to be better this season with Montez Sweat. The Bears passed up a 2023 second-round pick for Sweat because they weren’t sure there would be a better edge rusher in free agency. One of those players they could have targeted — Vikings outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard — recorded his 11th sack of the season in the first quarter. –Courtney Cronin

Next game: vs. Lions (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)