Vikings 13, Bears 9
Teddy Bridgewater capped a solid rookie campaign with 209 passing yards and a touchdown as Minnesota held off visiting Chicago.
Bridgewater completed 17-of-25 passes and Matt Asiata ran for a season-high 91 yards as the Vikings (7-9) earned their first win over an NFC North foe. Rookie Adam Thielen posted a season-high 68 receiving yards and hauled in his first touchdown pass for Minnesota.
Jay Cutler went 23-of-36 for 172 yards and did not turn the ball over as the Bears (5-11) finished out the season with five straight losses. Jay Feely kicked three field goals and Matt Forte ran for 51 yards for Chicago.
Neither side could do any better than a field goal in the first half, and the Bears took advantage of Bridgewater’s interception on the opening drive of the third quarter to grab a 6-3 lead on Feely’s 25-yard strike. The Vikings fought right back and grabbed the lead on the ensuing possession when Bridgewater found Thielen on the right side for a 44-yard score.
Feely was wide right on a 43-yard try later in the third and Blair Walsh’s 44-yard field goal extended the lead to 13-6 with 11:29 left. Chicago responded with a field goal but was stopped on fourth down after the two-minute warning before Minnesota kneeled out the clock.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Bears finished with their worst record since an identical 5-11 mark in 2004. … Forte added eight receptions and finished with 102 on the season, passing Larry Centers for the most ever by a running back. … Vikings LB Chad Greenway (knee) was inactive.