The Minnesota Vikings seemed like a pretty confident team going into last Sunday. It’s not hard to see why. They were 2-1 and coming off a thorough 34-14 dispatching of the Oakland Raiders. If that weren’t enough, the Chicago Bears were reportedly beset by some significant roster setbacks. Akiem Hicks and Kyle Long were declared out with knee and hip injuries respectively. Then a bombshell hit when inside linebacker Roquan Smith was declared inactive for “personal reasons.”
Minnesota themselves didn’t have any notable losses to their roster. So this looked like a prime opportunity to get revenge for their humiliating loss at home the previous December that knocked them from the playoff race. Then the game happened. From the jump, it became apparent that the Vikings were not getting a dispirited Bears team they’d expected. Despite knocking Mitch Trubisky out with a shoulder injury, backup Chase Daniel stepped right in and led the offense on a touchdown drive.
That set the tone for the game. Offensively, Minnesota was completely shut down. Their NFL leading rusher Dalvin Cook had just 35 yards on the day. Kirk Cousins was rattled all afternoon, getting sacked six times and failing to move the ball during all but one drive the entire game. The Vikings were dismissed 16-6, their second-straight divisional loss against an opponent that didn’t even have some of their best players.
It appears some of the players aren’t handling that reality too well.
Discontent appears to be growing in the Vikings ranks. Most notably from their wide receivers. Adam Thielen was the first to voice clear frustration after the game when he called out the team’s unwillingness to be more aggressive in the passing game. It’s clear he thinks the coaching staff, most notably head coach Mike Zimmer is a little too obsessed with running the ball.
It doesn’t end there though. Thielen’s running mate Stefon Diggs doesn’t seem too happy about the state of things either. He was recently reported absent from Vikings practice by multiple sources and it wasn’t due to any sort of injury issue. This only feeds the growing rumors that the receiver wants out.
Such a scenario would suit the Bears just fine. It would immediately rob their divisional rival of one of its most explosive weapons. That makes prospects of going up to Minnesota later this year look far less daunting. Either way, the reality is clear. Players aren’t happy and it figures to only get worse if they can’t take care of business against the New York Giants this weekend.
