SKOL from the Sofa
2025 Week 11 – Bears at Vikings

It was nearly another miracle on Sunday as the Vikings mounted another fourth-quarter comeback against the Chicago Bears. Ten weeks after the last one, though, it wasn’t to be, and a last-second field goal set up by a 56-yard kickoff return sent the Bears home with the W. Taking a look back at how the game panned out, join Conor Tait for this week’s SKOL from the Sofa.

Each NFL season is defined by a select number of key moments: made kicks, missed kicks, crucial interceptions, heartbreaking drops, miracle catches, blown kick return coverages…

The thing is, you just never know which play it is that’s going to define your game and define your season. However, mathematically speaking, you can fairly accurately predict when one is right around the corner from taking place. Let me explain.

We are genius losers

Heading into Sunday’s NFC North showdown, Minnesota had done a great job in selecting their losses. Albeit only 4–5 on the season, the Vikings were 2-0 in-division. The five losses had come via Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Baltimore.

Look, you never want to lose games but against three AFC opponents, two of those on the road, Atlanta who have turned out hopeless and Philly who will probably win the whole thing, they weren’t bad games to lose. Thinking of wild card places and tiebreakers, Minnesota were right in the conversation.

Against Chicago at home, however, you can’t draw the “genius loser” card – this is one that has to be a win. This is very clearly one of those games that will define your season. The rivalry, the record of the Bears and the importance of a divisional win to the standings; this is one of those key games that’s going to provide a pivotal season defining moment.

For added context, a Minnesota win would see them only half a game back on Chicago; defeat and the deficit would become a whole three games.

Timing is everything

Imagine trying to start a business in 2008 or 2020. Odds are it’s not going to go well, and at best it’s going to be a slow and painful beginning. Well, with the strength of the NFC North this season, this was absolutely not the moment for a project QB. Yet here we are because that is the direction Minnesota has decided to take. J. J. McCarthy may turn out to be outstanding, but he also may not.

What is all but certain however are the hiccups and growing pains that come from developing a young signal caller in the NFL. With the recenct success of Jayden Daniels aside, it’s almost inevitable. The 4–6 record tells the perfect story of the 2025 Minnesota Vikings, not terrible, yet simply not good enough.

Timing is everything (football edition)

Have you ever asked yourself why J. J. McCarthy keeps mentioning footwork in his postgame pressers? Sure, it’s an easy response to anything he doesn’t want to actually answer, to say he needs to work on it. There is, though, a major element of truth and validity to his repeated point.

Kevin O’Connell is an offensive mastermind; or at least he’s certainly touted as one. Not all, but most of his genius revolves around timing. He draws up concepts that, when timed up correctly, open receivers in the windows of different zone coverages. He shifts and aligns to create 1v1 matchups against man. He simply requires his quarterback to be meticulous at operating his scheme. When it works, it is genius. When it doesn’t, well, it’s just too fancy…

A quarterback’s footwork guides him through the progression in time with the development of the concept. Each play has its own wrinkles but the general rule of thumb is:

• Top of drop: first read
• First hitch: second read
• Second hitch: third read
• Anything after: checkdown or scramble

This is a very generic but realistic description of the quarterback’s process. Plug this flowchart into 70–80% of playcalling and you should begin to understand the importance for J. J. to have his footwork on point.

When his footwork is not quite spot on because of pass rush, bad execution, or whatever reason, bad things happen. When that crosser that should’ve been thrown after one hitch is suddenly released after the second, the rolling safety then has time to flip his hips and lurk the ball. A savvy veteran like Kevin Byard will do that; he will punish you if you are not on it. These microscopic nuances help draw the big picture come February. And the Pass is Picked Off!

Carbon Copy

Minnesota and Chicago squared off at Soldier Field in week 1 this season, when Chicago led 17–6 heading into the final quarter. Now, if you’ve made it this far into this article, I guess I need not remind you of how that final quarter unfolded. Flash forward to week 11 and here we are.

The Vikings trail by double digits entering the final quarter again, this time it’s 16–3. Sure enough, history begins to repeat itself: Minnesota comes surging back, the Bears shoot themselves in the foot repeatedly and with just under a minute to go, McCarthy fires a back shoulder bullet to Addison in the corner of the end zone. Reichard adds the extra point and Minnesota leads. It’s a carbon copy of the season opener. Now, can we cover the kickoff?

Non-carbon copy

The significance of this kickoff cannot be understated. This five-play sequence of the big return, followed by the three timeout-eating runs and the game-deciding field goal has cost Minnesota dearly. This season has just become significantly more difficult to salvage.

Yesterday’s agonising defeat puts the Vikings far adrift from playoff contention. I fear it’s time we accept that this season is the dreaded developmental year that we all hoped wasn’t needed but probably knew deep down was coming. Yesterday was a beautiful illustration of that.

If your expectations haven’t been tapered enough, remember: no rookie quarterback has ever made it to a Super Bowl as a starter, let alone won one. Some food for thought before sitting down next Sunday evening to watch the Vikings at Lambeau Field.

Do you want to have your say about an upcoming Vikings game? Is something really grinding your gears? You can have your say right here in Skol from the Sofa. Just drop us an email at UKVikingsFanClub@gmail.com or send us a DM on any of our social media channels.