T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
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(Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Vikings‘ offense has struggled recently, as the group has failed to score 20 points or more in two of its last three games. Moreover, it’s no surprise that both games in which the Vikings scored less than 20 points ended in losses.
Minnesotaneed its offense to wake up, as its inability to put points on the board cost it in the Week 10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The Vikings’ defense didn’t allow a touchdown in the first half, creating the perfect situation for the offense to pull away. However, that didn’t happen.
Eventually, Lamar Jackson and Co. found the end zone and would come out on top. Ahead of the Week 11 game against the Chicago Bears, T.J. Hockensonwas asked about how the Vikings’ offense can be more effective, especially on third down.
“I think you know getting the ball in the hands of our playmakers and letting us go and doing our thing,”Hockenson told reporters on November 13. “I think that’s what we’ve talked about, just trying to stay efficient on first and second down and be in a manageable third down. That’s a big part of it.
“[In Week 10] we kind of shot ourselves in the foot a little bit on early downs, and now you’re in third and long, third and unmanageable. A key factor is being efficient on first and second down, then getting into a third-and-manageable situation to make it easier.
“Once you get outside of third and six or third and seven, it’s tough on an offense to try to go get another 10-plus yards and make that third down. So, it’s just us being efficient on offense and all 11 doing our jobs.”
Bears Are Still Concerned About the Vikings’ Justin Jefferson
Justin Jefferson has struggled at various points during the 2025 NFL season, with the Week 10 loss to the Ravens being a notablelow point. Jefferson only recorded 37 yards on four catches, but despite this production, the Bears’ defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen, isn’t taking the wideout lightly, even with his struggles.
“I think he’s got a great feel for the game,”Allen said about Jefferson while speaking to reporters on November 13. “He does a great job of understanding how to set up his routes to create separation. And I think more than anything else, this guy is one of the more competitive players we’ll go against. That’s what really makes great players great, no matter the position. He expects that every ball thrown his way is one he’s going to go make a play on.”
The Vikings Offense Needs to Step Up
The Vikings face a tough three-game stretch, including two road matchups against the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks. A strong performance from Jefferson at home against Chicago iscrucial to keeping Minnesota’s playoff hopes alive.
NBC Sports’ NFL insider Mike Florio notes that these next three games could ultimately decide the team’s postseason fate.
“Their backs are kind of against the wall,” Florio told NBC Sports NFL analyst Chris Simms on theNovember 13 edition of “Chris Simms Unbuttoned.” “They need to win two of the next three. They’ve got the Bears, at the Packers, at the Seahawks. If they don’t win two of the next three, they’re done.”