BB.VIKINGS BREAK: T.J. HOCKENSON’S “THREE WORDS” REACTION AFTER LOSS TO BEARS SHOCKS FANS!
The Minnesota Vikings came up short in a 19-17 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 11 at U.S. Bank Stadium on November 16, the latest in a stretch in which the offense has failed to reach 20 points in three of the past four games.
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J.J. McCarthy had a rough afternoon, completing 16 of 32 passes for 150 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He did settle in late and connected with Jordan Addison for a go-ahead touchdown, but that push couldn’t offset the issues that had built up throughout the day.
After that touchdown, Chicago answered with a quick drive that set up the winning field goal. With the offense again unable to give enough support to the defense, tight end T.J. Hockenson gave an honest response regarding their struggles on that side of the football.
“I think you just go one play at a time,” Hockenson told reporters after the loss. “You can’t press because if you do in this league, that’s when bad things happen. That’s when you do things that our quarterback doesn’t know what you’re doing, and that’s when things become bad.
“I think we just have to take one play at a time, all 11 doing our jobs, and move forward from this. I mean, again, you lose the turnover at two to zero, it’s a tough game to win, and with a thin margin of error, that’s what it came down to, a thin margin of error.”
Vikings’ Justin Jefferson Looks to Step Up as a Leader
While Hockenson is preaching taking it one play at a time for the Vikings to snap out of their offensive funk, Justin Jefferson also stated that it’s on him to step up as a leader to help the group, especially McCarthy, in this time of adversity.
“Everybody feels like it’s difficult, it’s not something we’re keeping under the rug or anything,” Jefferson told reporters after the loss. “Yes, it’s difficult. But as a team, as a captain, as a leader of this team, I have to be the first one out there.
“I have to be the one leading us in the direction of winning and being where we need to be. So if that means taking J.J. out and getting more time with him and building that connection, then that’s what I have to do. I have to figure out what I need to do to get us over that hump.”
Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy Drawing Criticism
Much of the blame for the recent offensive issues is being directed at McCarthy following his past few performances. Former Seattle Seahawks standout Richard Sherman is the latest to weigh in on the Vikings quarterback.
“What would the Vikings offense look like if they decided to just keep Sam Darnold?” Sherman wrote during the Vikings-Bears game on X.
Moreover, Sherman followed up this take with ruthless post-game criticism of the Vikings’ starting quarterback, noting that “Justin Jefferson would probably want another QB soon.” The former Seahawks player didn’t stop there as he fired off one more post aimed at McCarthy.
“I’m old enough to remember the comments I got when I told folks I wasn’t sure if McCarthy was the answer and they let a good quarter fool them,” Sherman added on X. “Football isn’t an exact science by any means but when you’re set up with one of the best play callers in football and one of the best WRs usually success can be manufactured.”
