Center Ryan Kelly and running back Ty Chandler were also evaluated for injuries but returned to the game. Kelly was seen going into the X-ray room after the game. Cornerback Jeff Okudah will be evaluated for a concussion possibly sustained on the last play, O’Connell said.
Safety Theo Jackson made his first NFL start for Harrison Smith, who did not play because of an illness. Smith, a 14th-year veteran, returned to practice this week but did not travel with the team to Chicago.
Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright, who spent last year on the Vikings’ practice squad, had a busy night replacing injured starter Jaylon Johnson. Chicago’s defense also played without cornerback Kyler Gordon and linebacker T.J. Edwards.
First, Wright helped the Vikings with a 42-yard pass interference penalty while trying to cover running back Aaron Jones downfield.
But Wright got the last laugh in the third quarter, when he picked off a McCarthy pass and ran it 74 yards for a touchdown. On the pick-six, McCarthy was overwhelmed by an all-out — or “zero” — blitz that sends every pass rusher who isn’t in man-to-man coverage. O’Connell said Wright must have picked up a thing or two from practicing in Flores’ blitz-heavy schemes, learning how to keep his eyes on the quarterback and breaking on quick throws.
“He learned how to play pretty good zero coverage here,” O’Connell said, “and credit to Shonny for making that play.”