MINNEAPOLIS — The Bears defense had no reason to feel good about itself when the Vikings walked to the line of scrimmage on fourth-and-1 from their own 29 at the two-minute warning Sunday. In the Vikings’ other three possessions of the half, the Bears had allowed 221 yards and 17 points.
When they needed a stop most, though, the Bears got one – albeit with an assistant from a curious play call. In the shotgun, the Vikings faked a handoff to Dalvin Cook, the NFL’s season leading rusher, and rolled quarterback Kirk Cousins out to the right. Under pressure and with no one open, he lofted a pass incomplete toward the right sideline.