Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell is well aware of his team’s impressive record.
O’Connell knows the Vikings have surprised many observers who projected them to finish at or near the bottom of the NFC North. He knows about the praise being directed his way for reviving the career of journeyman quarterback Sam Darnold.
However, O’Connell is not satisfied. He wants to see his players take another step forward when the Vikings (8-2) visit the Chicago Bears (4-6) on Sunday along the shores of Lake Michigan.
“We’ve just got to continue to get better and prove it,” O’Connell said. “8-2 means absolutely nothing.”
This weekend’s division rivalry matchup should be something.
The Bears are desperate to snap a four-game losing streak and earn their first victory since Oct. 13. Chicago’s skid began when it lost on a Hail Mary pass against the Washington Commanders, and it turned four weeks old last Sunday when the Green Bay Packers blocked a 46-yard field-goal attempt by Bears kicker Cairo Santos as time expired.
Bears coach Matt Eberflus tried to stay upbeat despite the mounting losses.
“There were a lot of positives to build from,” he said. “That’s what you have to do.”
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams will try to build upon a solid start as he prepares to face the Vikings for the first time in his young career. The rookie completed 23 of 31 passes for 231 yards last week against Green Bay, and he carried the ball nine times for 70 yards.
Chicago wide receiver DJ Moore, who had a team-high seven catches for 62 yards last week, said he and his teammates should be able to maintain their positive momentum this week against the Vikings’ top-10 defense.
“With all the players we’ve got, I hope we are able to move the ball on all types of defenses — from the No. 1 defense in the league down to the 32nd,” Moore said. “I hope we can keep it up and hopefully get some wins out of it.”
As the Bears look to stop a losing streak, the Vikings will aim to maintain their winning streak. Minnesota is coming off victories against the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans over the past three weeks.
Darnold has posted a 100.0 passer rating in 10 starts this season. He has completed a career-best 67.9 percent of his passes for 2,387 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
The next touchdown pass will mark a career high for Darnold, who sputtered with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers before serving as the San Francisco 49ers’ backup last season.
“I just feel like, you know — not talking about past experiences at all — but I think here it’s the detail that we’ve had ever since OTAs, ever since April,” Darnold said. “We’ve been able to lock in our progressions. Just our feet, our eyes, where they’re supposed to be. And just being on time with the concepts.
“If you play like that, it makes the quarterback position a little bit easier.”
It also helps to have All-Pro wideout Justin Jefferson, who has 59 catches for 912 yards and five touchdowns. The Vikings’ top rusher is former Packer Aaron Jones, who has 692 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground.
The teams split their matchups last season. The Vikings won 19-13 in Chicago on Oct. 15, and the Bears responded with a 12-10 victory in Minneapolis on Nov. 27.
Chicago is 4-2 at home this season. Minnesota is 4-1 on the road.