The Minnesota Vikings won their second game in the division in as many weeks, beating the Chicago Bears 9-3 at Soldier Field. Inclement weather impacted both teams' offenses as receivers struggled to corral passes and likely contributed to a crucial fumble by Bears running back D'Andre Swift on the goal line.
But the weather was only one factor in Chicago going from 59 points in Week 1 to three points on Sunday. Brian Flores called a masterful game, limiting the Bears' offense to 4.2 yards per play and 297 total yards.
Spearheading the attack, Dallas Turner built on a strong season opener with another fantastic game. Next Gen Stats credited him with 10 pressures for the second straight week, and he sacked Tyson Bagent on the final play to secure
the victory.
DALLAS TURNER WALKOFF SACK FOR THE VIKINGS pic.twitter.com/8wGRHUIMKW
— NFL (@NFL) September 20, 2026
This leads us to our first of three instant takeaways from the Vikings' Week 2 win.
Instant Takeaways from the Vikings' 9-3 win over the Bears in Week 2
Turner has arrived
There was reason to wonder if Minnesota could afford to trade Jonathan Greenard back in April. Turner had 6.5 sacks in the final eight games of the 2025 season, but was he ready to take on a full-time role?
In two games, Turner has been the team's star. He racked up two sacks against the Bears, but likely would have had more if anyone besides Caleb Williams had been at quarterback. PFF gave him a paltry 57.2 grade, but that likely reflects several near-misses on the elusive Williams.
Turner has three sacks through two games, eclipsing Greenard's 2025 total (2.5). What can he do for an encore next week against Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
A commitment to the run game
Kevin O'Connell preached all offseason that he wanted to complement Flores' defense with a more consistent running game. Even with Jordan Mason on injured reserve, O'Connell once again pounded the rock even when there wasn't consistent success.
Aaron Jones carried the workload, running 23 times for 105 yards (4.6 YPA). He ran seven times for 25 yards on the final offensive drive, getting the Vikings into field goal range with three minutes to play.
It wasn't pretty, but the commitment to the running game was necessary, as the rain limited Carson Wentz's ability to put the right touch on passes and made the ball harder to catch. This was the second straight week O'Connell pushed through an up-and-down running game to secure victory in the fourth quarter.
Winning the turnover battle
The turnover battle would have been vital going into this game regardless of the weather. No one had more turnovers in 2025 than Minnesota (30), and no one forced for takeaways than the Bears (33). But the weather added another layer to ball security.
Wentz almost threw an interception on the opening drive of the game, but Chicago linebacker Devin Bush couldn't haul it in. Three plays later, Will Reichard kicked a field goal to give the Vikings a 3-0 lead.
Byron Murphy Jr. intercepted an off-target pass by Williams on the Bears' second drive of the game. On the first drive of the second half, Chicago drove to Minnesota's 1-yard line, but Jalen Redmond punched the ball loose on a D'Andre Swift run, and Isaiah Rodgers fell on it to end the drive.
Up 6-3 with 6:21 to play in the fourth quarter, Rodgers blocked a 23-yard field goal, preserving the Vikings' lead. It wasn't always an efficient performance from either side of the ball, but Minnesota came up with key plays in a game where the margins were thin.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Instant Takeaways from the Vikings' 9-3 win over the Bears in Week 2
