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Week 15 of the NFL ended with the final Monday Night Football doubleheader of the season.

The playoff-bound Minnesota Vikings easily defeated the Chicago Bears 30-12 for their seventh straight win. The Vikings secured a spot in the playoffs on Sunday following the Seattle Seahawks’ 30-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Before Monday’s game, former Vikings receivers Chris Carter and Jake Reed showed their support for their former teammate Randy Moss by holding up his No. 84 jersey during the coin toss at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The fans shouted: “Randy! Cool!”

Moss announced Friday that he is being treated for cancer.

Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson also honored the Pro Football Hall of Famer in the first quarter.

After a seven-yard touchdown catch by quarterback Sam Darnold that gave the Vikings a 10-0 lead, Jefferson cheered and said to the camera, “We love you, Randy!” This is for you.”

Moss posted on X: “Love you all! #letsmosscancer”

“I definitely wanted to pay homage to him on one of my touchdowns. “It was just great to be able to do that in the first quarter and first quarter,” Jefferson said of the tribute to Moss while wearing his jersey after the game.

“I definitely have to show him that love. I’m grateful for what he did for this game and what he did for me as a kid just watching him and being a fan of his. I always had to show him love.”

The Vikings took a 13-0 halftime lead.

In the second half, Minnesota added two one-yard touchdown runs, one by running back Aaron Jones in the third quarter and the other by running back Cam Akers in the fourth, to extend the lead to 27-6.

Darnold was 24-40 for 231 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Jefferson had seven receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown.

The Vikings improved to 12-2 and are in a three-way tie with the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles for the best record in the NFC. The Bears fell to 4-10.

Next up, Minnesota travels to the Emerald City to take on the Seahawks, while the Bears host the Lions on Sunday.

The Falcons end the four-game break and remain in the playoff hunt

The Atlanta Falcons held on late and defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 15-9 on Monday night, ending their four-game losing streak.

Led by a stingy Falcons defense that didn’t allow a touchdown until the end of the fourth quarter, forced three turnovers and blocked two punts, Atlanta outplayed its former starting quarterback Desmond Ridder and handed the Raiders their tenth straight loss.

With the win, the Falcons improved to 7-7 on the season and remain in second place in the NFC South, behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6).

According to NFL.com, as of today, the Falcons have a 37% chance of securing a playoff spot. Their best chance of a playoff spot would come through the division, as the chances of a wildcard spot remain further out of reach.

“For us to go out and find a way to win. I think the most important thing is when you have to accept a few defeats in a row. Especially with the Falcons, you want your Falcons fans to feel good about it. You have to find a way to win and gain confidence through wins and I think our guys did that today,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said after the game.

Atlanta scored first in the first quarter when Kirk Cousins ​​connected with receiver Drake London for a 30-yard touchdown to give the Falcons a 7-0 lead.

In a predominantly defensive game, both teams struggled to get much going in the first half.

The Raiders opened the second half with a turnover after Robert Spillane tackled Cousins. The Falcons quarterback has struggled lately, with turnovers being one of the main issues. Entering Monday night, Cousins ​​had thrown eight interceptions and zero touchdowns during the four-game stretch.

However, the Falcons’ defense stepped up on the following possession, forcing the Raiders into a three-and-out and then blocking the punt attempt.

Las Vegas scored a touchdown with just under three minutes left to cut the deficit to 15-9, but the Raiders’ extra point attempt was blocked by the Falcons – the third blocked kick attempt of the night.

Just when the game seemed to be over, the Raiders began marching down the field on the final possession of the game.

Fighting against the game clock, Las Vegas had two shots to get into the end zone from the Falcons’ 35-yard line, but the second attempt was intercepted by Jessie Bates III as time expired.

Next up: Atlanta hosts the New York Giants, while the Raiders play the Jacksonville Jaguars in Las Vegas on Sunday.