Richardson Delivers on Promise to Zimmer, Wonnum…

Dantzler, who started at cornerback opposite Patrick Peterson, later stopped Fields on a scramble. Fields gained 3 yards in the Vikings red zone late in the game, but the tackle by Dantzler helped contain the Bears and force a punt two plays later.

Dantzler finished the night with seven tackles and the forced fumble.

Eric Kendricks also totaled seven tackles and a tackle for loss before being ejected in the fourth quarter for unnecessary roughness. The linebacker was flagged for helmet-to-helmet contact against Fields, who was sliding with his torso upright.

Zimmer said he “didn’t get a good explanation” from the officials regarding the disqualification.

“They came over late and said they thought he had an elbow to a head,” Zimmer relayed. “I thought I saw it pretty cleanly, and I thought the quarterback slid and kept his head up, and Eric was going down and kind of raised his head to try to avoid it, and I thought they bumped heads.”

It seems Vikings-Bears games at Soldier Field always seem to get chippy, and Monday night wasn’t any different. The win certainly wasn’t pretty, but Zimmer will take it.

Minnesota limited Montgomery to 60 yards rushing but gave up 115 yards on the ground, including 35 from Fields. In the passing game, Fields was 26-of-39 passing for 285 yards and one touchdown on the final play of the evening. His passer rating was 96.6.

Wonnum called Fields “squirmy.”

“He was really scrambling. Like, loose and fast. So I missed him one time,” Wonnum said. “He’s a great athlete, but I got him on the ground.”

Minnesota’s victory on the road officially eliminated Chicago from the playoffs while keeping the Vikings postseason hopes alive.