The Vikings are three losses behind NFC North leader Detroit (8-2), damaging their already difficult road to repeating as division champions. Not only have the Vikings lost 14 of their 21 own fumbles, they have recovered only five of 15 fumbles by the other team. Defensive lineman Dean Lowry suffered a season-ending pectoral muscle tear that requires surgery.Ģ4 - The number of fumbles recovered in games by Minnesota's opponents this season. O'Connell said Evans likely will be questionable to play against the Bears, along with wide receiver Justin Jefferson (hamstring). Osborn returned from a one-game absence because of a concussion but had only one reception for 7 yards on two targets despite playing more than 95% of the snaps on offense.Ĭornerback Akayleb Evans (calf) was inactive on Sunday night, replaced by rookie Mekhi Blackmon, who lost his individual matchup with Sutton in some critical situations.

The true test of improvement on the ground will come in the next game against Chicago, which is giving up a league-best average of 3.39 yards per rush. The Vikings rushed 36 times for 175 yards, both season highs, against the team ranked last in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game and per attempt. If we don't take the ball away, it makes it harder on the rest of the team.' 'As a defense, we take pride in taking the ball. We didn't create any turnovers,' safety Camryn Bynum said. punched the ball out as he tackled Perine but was unable to fall on it before it rolled out of bounds at the 22 with 1:21 left. Then with the Broncos driving for the go-ahead touchdown, Samaje Perine caught a short pass and headed toward the sideline. Will Lutz then made a 52-yard field goal to trim Minnesota's lead to 10-9. On third-and-5 from the 34 with 11 seconds left before halftime, Josh Metellus made a leaping grab of Russell Wilson's throw into the end zone but failed to secure the ball as he hit the ground for an incompletion instead of an interception.

But there weren't any turnovers on that side of the ball to counteract the offense's flubs. The defense delivered for the Vikings all night, forcing the Broncos to kick five field goals and not yielding a touchdown until Courtland Sutton's superb catch for the lead with 1:03 left. The Broncos recorded a takeaway on the next possession deep in Minnesota territory, when McMillan picked off a hurried pass by an under-pressure Dobbs and returned it to the 9.

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