You don’t feel very optimistic right about now if you’re a Vikings fan.
The Vikings lost 16-6 in Chicago against the Bears on Sunday, falling to 2-2 on the season. The lone Minnesota touchdown came late in the fourth quarter against a defense that was missing Akiem Hicks and Roquan Smith.
It wasn’t that the Vikings lost, as much as how they lost. On the very first drive, the Bears lost starting quarterback Mitchell Trubisky to a left shoulder injury.
Backup Chase Daniel proceeded to drive down the field and lead the Bears to a touchdown. Daniel was the best quarterback in Chicago on Sunday, and it wasn’t particularly close.
Kirk Cousins looked absolutely brutal. He threw for 233 yards (184 in the second half, after the Bears had the game won), but most of those were garbage yards and he never could get the offense in a rhythm of any sort.
The offensive line was bad, and Dalvin Cook ended his streak of 100-yard games, running for just 35 yards on 14 attempts.
Cousins was sacked six times for 51 yards. While the offensive line is somewhat to blame, Cousins also held the ball for too long more than once and looked like a rookie.
Of course, none of this is new for Cousins, and you’ll hear it around the water cooler tomorrow.
The Vikings fall to 2-2, last in the NFC North. They travel to play the New York Giants in Week 5.
