The Minnesota Vikings nearly pulled off a comeback victory today against the Chicago Bears, but ultimately fell on a last-second field goal to drop to 4-6 with a 19-17 loss. It was a frustrating afternoon for J.J. McCarthy, who struggled from the opening drive as his accuracy wavered and the Vikings' offense stalled early.

Things briefly looked promising on the second drive when McCarthy delivered a perfect throw over the middle, only for Jordan Addison to drop it. That mistake halted another chance at early points, setting the tone for a first half defined by missed opportunities. Both teams traded punts throughout the first 20 or so minutes of the game — six combined — before finally breaking the scoring drought late in the half. Kyle Monangai punched in a short touchdown for Chicago to take a 7-3 lead in the second quarter.

McCarthy threw the first of two costly interceptions on the next pair of possessions, setting the Bears up just outside the red zone for a field goal that stretched the lead to 10-3 on the first. His second pick came on a deep shot to the end zone just before halftime, keeping the Vikings stuck on only three points total entering the break.

Chicago added to its lead out of halftime, knocking through field goals on back-to-back drives to go up 13-3 and then 16-3 as the Vikings continued to sputter. Through three quarters, Minnesota had managed only three points, still.

The spark finally came in the fourth. A strong punt return set up the Vikings in plus territory, and Jordan Mason finished the short drive with a touchdown to cut the deficit to 16-10. The defense followed with another stop, and this time it was Jordan Addison delivering the big moment, hauling in a deep touchdown to give Minnesota a 17-16 lead with under two minutes remaining.

But the momentum vanished instantly. The Bears ripped off a 56-yard kick return on the ensuing kickoff, giving them excellent field position and control of the clock. They milked the remaining time, gained just enough yardage, and set up Cairo Santos for the game-winning 48-yard field goal as time expired.

McCarthy finished 16-of-32 for 150 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. On the ground, Aaron Jones Jr. was solid with 16 carries for 70 yards, while Mason added 45 yards on six attempts and the score. Justin Jefferson caught five passes for 61 yards on nine targets — decent production, but the visible frustration continues as the young quarterback and star receiver work through growing pains. Several misfires from McCarthy prevented potential big plays.

At 4-6, this loss feels like the one that effectively ends the season. With the NFC North emerging as one of the most competitive divisions in football, Minnesota sits clearly in fourth place with almost no realistic path to climb back into contention.