Good morning sports fans, it's Wajih AlBaroudi here with everything you need to know on this marvelous Tuesday morning. We had two NFL games last night and have another pair to watch tonight. But it's not all NFL today. We'll also go over what the NHL is doing about its COVID-19 crisis and much more.
Without further ado, let's roll.
Good morning to everyone but especially to...
MIKE ZIMMER AND THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS
It's been a stressful season for the Minnesota Vikings and coach Mike Zimmer, but Monday's game was anything but. The Vikings dominated the Bears 17-9 in a game that felt much more lopsided, and Minnesota did so with a play style a defensive guru like Zimmer surely appreciated.
A final-second, garbage-time passing touchdown from Bears quarterback Justin Fields to tight end Jesper Horsted kept the Vikings from their best single-game defensive performance (three points), but the Vikings still:
Posted a 33-24 pass-run rateForced three fumblesBlocked a field goalHere's our NFL scribe Tyler Sullivan with more on how great Minnesota's defense played:
Sullivan: "The Vikings defense held the Bears to one touchdown in five total red-zone trips, while also creating multiple turnovers in that key area of the field... For the large majority of the game, they were extremely stout once the Bears were threatening to score. They were also strong on third down, stopping Chicago on 10 of their 12 opportunities."With so many Vikings games having come down to the wire this season, Zimmer finally enjoyed a game incapable of raising his blood pressure. Defensive end D.J. Wonnum was the star of Minnesota's defensive outing, posting eight tackles, three sacks and four quarterback hits. Safety Harrison Smith and cornerback Cameron Dantzler added seven and six tackles, respectively.
The Vikings (7-7) will play the Los Angeles Rams at home next and then the Green Bay Packers on the road before closing their season against the Bears in Minnesota. Zimmer will surely be happy to see the offensively-inept Bears again.
Honorable mention:
And not such a good morning for...
USATSITHE CLEVELAND BROWNS
The Browns came into this season with sky-high expectations after winning a playoff game in coach Kevin Stefanski's first year at the helm. This season, however, has borne a closer resemblance to the downtrodden Browns teams of old, including Monday's 16-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Cleveland.
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr picked the Browns apart on the final drive to set up a 48-yard game-winning field goal for Daniel Carlson (more on that later), dropping Cleveland to 7-7 and last in the AFC North. The game was postponed from Saturday to Monday due to a COVID-19 outbreak among the Bears.
The loss was crushing for Cleveland, which desperately needed a win to keep its playoff hopes alive. The team did, however, play without Stefanski - who tested positive for COVID a second-consecutive season - and 18 regular contributors, including:
QB Baker MayfieldQB Case KeenumRB Kareem HuntWR Jarvis LandryTE Austin HooperOT Jedrick WillsDE Jadeveon ClowneyDT Malik McDowellLB Mack WilsonCB Troy HillS Ronnie HarrisonS Grant DelpitP Jamie GillanCleveland has a tough remaining schedule: at the Green Bay Packers, at the Pittsburgh Steelers and home to the Cincinnati Bengals. With five AFC teams locked at 7-7, the Browns' chances of making the playoffs for a second time since 2002 are now murkier.
