MINNEAPOLIS — After traveling across the pond to play the New Orleans Saints in London last Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings return home in Week 5 to take on their NFC North rival, the Chicago Bears.
Last week, the 3-1 Vikings sailed home from their International Series game in London with a 28-25 win over New Orleans. Quarterback Kirk Cousins had to launch a fourth-quarter comeback to take the lead, and the team was saved from a perilous overtime thanks to the double doink of a Saints' 61-yard field goal that would have tied the game.
Head coach Kevin O'Connell explained during a press conference earlier this week that the team needs to get better at being consistent on offense, which requires all 11 players to execute their jobs with "no let up."
"We're going to coach these guys hard," O'Connell said. "I think they're confident that we can win games that have been close and really down to the wire these last two weeks, but now it's a matter of continuing to grow within our schemes and trying to be more consistent and maybe not needing to have it be stressful towards the end of these games, but I am proud of our team for persevering and overcoming sometimes our own lapses in the games."
Against the Bears, wide receiver Justin Jefferson will look to continue his star play. After a down game in week three versus the Detroit Lions, the LSU product returned to form with 10 receptions for 147 yards and a rushing touchdown on a three-yard run against the Saints.
"Justin is such a special player, such a talented player, that I thought he started fast, he was flying off the ball, he had a plan of attack all day, no matter how they were covering him," O'Connell said.
The Vikings' divisional matchup against the Bears kicks off at noon on Oct. 9 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Keep up with all of the action from Sunday's divisional matchup at U.S. Bank Stadium with KARE 11's live blog, which features tweets from the Vikings and KARE's sports team.
Editor's Note: Following the end of the game, check back to KARE11.com for post-game coverage.
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