I (WW) conducted an interview with a Bears fan (BF) following the Minnesota Vikings’ 30–12 victory over the Chicago Bears to find out what they thought of the game, the Vikings, and both teams’ futures. Two years ago, when I first met my fiancé, I met this fan. He is a southern Wisconsin Bears fan and a family friend. We frequently discuss the rivalry between the Bears and Vikings during Bears games.
WW: What a game! Let’s start by talking about your background and the reasons you support the Bears before moving on to the game’s highlights and analysis.
BF: I’m from southern Wisconsin, and until 2018, I was a general football fan. In 2018, I became really interested in the Bears because of their defense and history. I like hard-hitting, smash-mouth defense, and while I think offense is cool, defense is what I focus on the most.
WW: When you started this game, what were your first impressions?
BF: I had a feeling this game would be a barn burner going into it. I believed we had a good chance to end our losing streak in Minneapolis following the overtime game in Week 12. Although our team’s morale may not be as high as we would have liked given that we are already eliminated from the playoffs, we are now
BF: Jets is one of the top players in the league. Of course, he has his good games and bad games like everyone else, we were just able to stop him. We trusted that Jaylon Johnson would get the job done against him and he has done a pretty good job. It seems like these blown coverages and big plays that Jefferson made in tonight’s game were not one-on-one between these two, and in my opinion, Johnson held Jefferson in check in both games.
WW: What are you most envious of when you look at/watch any Vikings game, whether it’s against the Bears or another team?
BF: I am most envious of their willpower and their mindset of never being out of games. It seems like they go into every game almost being overlooked, and they play above what anyone thinks, week in and week out. When I first looked at the schedule, I looked at the Vikings as a rebuilding team that needed time to work together and understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses. I thought I would take a couple of years, not less than a season.
Little did I know that they were going to be a contender and a team that I feel that no other team should want to play in the postseason. I guess what really surprised me was the play of Sam Darnold and the fact that he seemed kind of like a benchwarmer to me when he was with other teams, and now, he is potentially on top candidate for MVP, depending on who you ask.
WW: So, is this you admitting that you overlooked them to start the season?
BF: Definitely.
WW: Talk around the league as the season goes is that Kevin O’Connell is a QB whisperer. With Daniel Jones coming to the team, and with what he has done with Sam Darnold, do you think he is the QB whisperer, and do you think he should be Coach of the Year this year?
BF: He is absolutely the quarterback whisperer, and he is my pick for coach of the year. Yes, Dan Campbell has done a lot with the Lions, and [Nick] Sirianni of the Eagles has made his claim, but watching what KOC does with this team and being that the Vikings weren’t expected to do anything this year, KOC deserves to be Coach of the Year this year.
WW: What’s your thoughts on this Brian Flores-led defense? Should he be a head coach somewhere? How much would you like him to be the Bears’ head coach?
BF: I am quite envious of Brian Flores and what he has done with this defense. He deserves to be the head coach somewhere, I know he has that legal battle with the NFL, I don’t know what that does for his chances, but he definitely deserves to be a head coach somewhere in the NFL.
I would love for him to be the head coach of the Bears. I would take him over Detroit’s offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson. I really enjoy defensive-minded coaches over the offensive-minded coaches, and I just feel that Brian Flores would get the most out of this talented Bears team.
WW: Final couple of questions for you here. Who is your MVP at this point, and where does Sam Darnold land on that list?
BF: At this point in the season my MVP is Josh Allen for the way he’s made plays with both his arm and his legs all throughout this season. I think Sam Darnold is in the top 10 on my list because, although he has done some good things, I think defenses are starting to figure him out, and he’s not playing as well as he was to start the season.
WW: Should the Vikings re-sign Darnold or let him walk? If he walks, where should he go and why?
BF: I do not think the Vikings should re-sign Sam Darnold. They have another good bridge quarterback in Daniel Jones to get to J.J. McCarthy, who I am high on. I think Sam Darnold should go somewhere where he’s going to end up getting paid, and I would be excited to see him with the Giants and see what he could do with a young, talented receiver in Malik Nabers.
WW: Finally, what does the future hold, in your opinion, for both the Vikings and Bears?
BF: I’m very optimistic towards the Vikings’ future, due to their young core of key players, including JJ McCarthy, who I am high on due to what I saw in the preseason. The Vikings’ window of opportunity is wide open, and I am optimistic they will make a run soon. As for the Bears, I am quite concerned. I feel the Bears are being let down by their coaching staff. We have the talent; we just need the coaches that will get the most out of this talented team.
