![\"Vikings](\"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/caleb-williams-chicago-bears_ae84c4-1.jpg\")
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The Minnesota Vikings are gearing up for a Week 11 matchup with a Chicago Bears team that looks far different from their first meeting of the season. Since that Week 1 clash, the two NFC North teams have gone in very different directions.<\/p>\n
The Vikings sit at 4-5, stumbling after a Week 10 home loss to the Baltimore Ravens that followed their Week 9 victory over the Detroit Lions. That defeat kept them below .500 and slowed any momentum they had built.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, the Bears have climbed to 6-3, winning six of their last seven games, with their only loss coming to the Ravens on October 26. Caleb Williams\u2019 late-game poise has fueled several close wins this season, putting Chicago firmly in playoff contention.<\/p>\n
While speaking to reporters on November 12, Vikings head coach Kevin O\u2019Connell shared what\u2019s different about Williams now than when they faced the young quarterback in Week 1.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe felt it in Week 1,\u201d O\u2019Connell told reporters on November 12. \u201cSome of the throws he can make are at the highest level, whether it\u2019s a play-action pass, on the move, or in the keeper game, with different ways of attacking downfield. When he breaks containment, he can make every throw.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s made some throws that haven\u2019t ended up in completions, but you watch him on tape because of the difficulty of the throws he can make in and out of the pocket. As he accumulates more snaps and builds off what he did last year, that experience is showing up in a consistency that\u2019s helping them win.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Vikings\u2019 coach, who will be in charge of containing Williams, will be defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Ahead of the Week 11 matchup, reporters asked Flores about Williams\u2019 late-game performances for Chicago.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s proven that in those moments he\u2019s come up big multiple times,\u201c Flores told reporters on November 11. \u201cIt looks like he thrives in those situations, which for a young quarterback is certainly an area you want to see.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor us, we know that when it comes down to those moments\u2014which most NFL games do\u2014we\u2019ve got to be at our best because he\u2019s going to be at his best, and so are they. It\u2019s a division game, so that\u2019s probably what it\u2019s going to be: A 60-minute battle. We\u2019ve got to prepare the right way. It\u2019s going to be a big challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n
Williams knows that whatever the Vikings throw at him, he will need to be ready. Despite the rivalry between the Bears and Vikings, the young quarterback didn\u2019t hesitate to praise Flores.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would say he\u2019s probably one of the more challenging coaches that I\u2019ve had to go against so far in my career,\u201c Williams said on November 12 when talking to reporters about Flores. \u201cObviously, I haven\u2019t played every single team yet and every single defensive coordinator, but up to this point, he\u2019s been that.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all 70-plus plays that you have or so. It\u2019s a full mental test. Every single play, he challenges you to reach your full mental capacity. This is always a fun game, going against Flo and his defense and the players he has on that side of the ball. Like I said, it\u2019s always fun going up against a defensive coordinator and a team like this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Getty<\/p>\n
Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir takes the field before the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at Highmark Stadium on January 12, 2025.<\/p>\n
The Buffalo Bills are looking to bounce back from a stunning loss to the\u00a0Miami Dolphins\u00a0and try to climb back into the race for the AFC East, and might need to do it with an ailing wide receiver.<\/p>\n
The team announced on Wednesday that top pass-catcher Khalil Shakir was limited at the first practice of the week with a rib injury. Head coach Sean McDermott revealed that Shakir was hurt during the loss to the Dolphins, which dropped the Bills two full games behind the\u00a0New England Patriots\u00a0for supremacy in the division.<\/p>\n
Shakir was able to finish Sunday\u2019s game against the Dolphins, making seven receptions for 58 yards and returning one punt for seven yards. Shakir has been the top target for quarterback Josh Allen since the departure of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis prior to the 2024 season, leading the team this year with 45 receptions for 457 yards.<\/p>\n
As\u00a0SI.com\u2019s Alex Brasky\u00a0noted, the injury could be a setback even if it doesn\u2019t keep Shakir off the field for Sunday\u2019s game against the\u00a0Tampa Bay Buccaneers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout knowing the significance of the injury, an ailing rib is a concern for a wide receiver with a play style similar to Shakir\u2019s,\u201d Brasky wrote. \u201cThe slot receiver is used heavily in the screen game, which causes him to be swarmed by defenders much like a running back. His use in the return game is also something that may need to be adjusted if he continues to feel lingering effects from his injury throughout the week.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bills have been hit hard by injuries, though most of the pain has been focused on the defensive side of the ball. The Bills lost several starters to long-term injuries, placing safety Taylor Rapp, defensive tackle Ed Oliver, and edge rusher Michael Hoecht on injured reserve.<\/p>\n
The Bills have struggled to get consistent production from their wide receiving corps this season, with the group often failing to get separation from defenders and leaving Allen under increased pressure.<\/p>\n
The team brought in some help this week, signing former\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs\u00a0wide receiver Mecole Hardman to their practice squad. The 27-year-old is a three-time Super Bowl champion and told reporters this week that it feels a bit odd to join a former rival.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s kind of weird a little bit, going against these guys for the last six years,\u201d Hardman said,\u00a0via Buffalo\u2019s WGZR.<\/p>\n
Hardman added that he was excited to make a difference in Buffalo and get another chance in the\u00a0NFL\u00a0after waiting for a call throughout the first half of the season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m excited for the opportunity,\u201d Hardman said. \u201cI\u2019m glad to be here and they welcomed me with open arms, so I\u2019m happy about that. They\u2019re definitely joking with me about the past matches that we had in the years, but it\u2019s fun. I\u2019m enjoying it \u2026 I\u2019m happy that they called and gave me a chance and opportunity, so I\u2019m grateful for that.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Minnesota Vikings are gearing up for a Week 11 matchup with a Chicago Bears team that looks far different from their first meeting of the season. Since that Week 1 clash,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6232,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-breaking-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t