Vikings Manage Anticipated Chippiness in Win Over…

Composure, Zimmer said, would be the key to a win. And his team succeeded.

“I think for the most part, they did a good job,” Zimmer said. “I know that it helped us a couple times because they got 15-yard penalties.

“We try to be a disciplined football team and not do those kinds of things,” Zimmer added. “But when you get your manhood challenged sometimes, you react, and you just have to keep [composed]. You know, I talked to the offense, I talked to the defense, about being composed and just doing our job.”

For Vikings players who had played the Bears before, they knew what was coming.

“Yes, I do expect it,” said Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins. “You just play through it, and you make sure you don’t do anything that would create a penalty. You have to play with a lot of self-control.”

Justin Jefferson added: “Chicago is always like that. They like to talk trash, get us out of our game a little bit. That’s what they do. We just play our own game, mind our own business, keep playing football.”