Bears defense stars in MNF win with 4 interceptions

MINNEAPOLIS – There were great tackles, smart situational football, and interceptions. Oh so many interceptions.

The Bears defense did absolutely everything it could Monday night at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, picking off Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs four times. The offense, while not stellar, did enough for the Bears to eke out a win, 12-10, on “Monday Night Football.”

Bears kicker Cairo Santos knocked through a 30-yard field goal to win the game in the final minute. It was Santos’ fourth made field goal of the evening.

For the second week in a row, the Bears had four takeaways. Prior to last week against Detroit, the Bears hadn’t lost a game in which they had four takeaways since 2008. They had won 22 straight such games.

On Monday, they very nearly did it again. Dobbs and the Vikings scored the game’s only touchdown on a pass to tight end T.J. Hockenson with 5:58 remaining in the fourth quarter. It gave the Vikings a one-point lead, 10-9.

But a late field goal drive led by Justin Fields and the Bears offense set up the game-winning field goal in the final minute. It was redemption for Fields, who had fumbled on the previous two Bears possessions. Facing a key third-and-10, Fields connected with receiver DJ Moore for a 36-yard gain to pull the Bears into field goal range and set up the winning kick.

It was a clutch connection at a vital moment in the game.

“It’s the way we finished,” Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said. “I think that’s going to be more lasting going into these next ballgames. The proof’s right there. We’ve been doing a lot of good things on offense, defense and kicking. It’s good to win a tight one like this.”

Fields didn’t have a great evening, but nobody on the Bears’ offense did. He finished his night 27-for-37 passing for 217 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. He also led the Bears in rushing with 49 yards on 12 carries.

Santos made four of his five field goal tries, including a 55-yard kick that matched his career long.

But the star of this game was the defense.

For the second week in a row, the Bears defense was a takeaway machine. The defense had three interceptions a week ago against Detroit, despite losing that game. This week it did one better, causing four interceptions.

Four players had interceptions: cornerback Jaylon Johnson, cornerback Kyler Gordon, safety Jaquan Brisker and linebacker TJ Edwards. The defense repeatedly held the Vikings’ offense on third down.

“Challenging, aggressive, pressure,” Johnson said of the defense. “We’re playing good coverage on the back end and the rush is there causing the quarterback to make some bad decisions.”

Gordon and Edwards were fantastic on Monday night. Not only did they each have interceptions, but each had a key fourth-down tackle to keep the Vikings behind the sticks. All in all, the Bears held the Vikings to 2-for-9 on third downs and 0-for-2 on fourth downs.

Edwards had his second pick in as many weeks when he caught at tipped pass over the middle on a fourth down late in the third quarter. He had made an excellent tackle on the play prior, following the Vikings running back who went in motion all the way across the field.

The Bears defense appears to be playing its best defense down the stretch. This time, the team held on for the win.

The Bears improved to 4-8 on the season. Fields led his first fourth-quarter game-winning drive since Week 3 of 2020, and just the third of his career.