Every week I try to talk about how the Vikings' win was convoluted or lucky and how the team can't possibly keep up winning. It's getting old. The Vikings and Lions have won again and the Bears Bearsed. What else is new?

Bears and Lions

The Bears fell to the Lions, 23-20 because of the weirdest ever clock mismanagement. 

Game Notes

• The first half of this game was a bloodbath. The Bears couldn't even hit 60 total yards and the Lions broke open a 16-0 lead. They turned it around in the second half - to the point that they were driving with the chance to tie or take the lead as the clock wound out in the fourth. Unfortunately, that's the key part: the clock wound out. Eberflus inexplicably did not call a timeout with 20+ seconds left and the ball on the Bears' side of the field. Instead, he let Caleb Williams casually waste time before snapping it and then throw it downfield not even close to the end zone on an incomplete pass as time expired. If I hadn't slept multiple times since this game I'd still be convinced it was some dream of the weirdest loss the Bears could have. It was so bad, it finally caused the Bears to pull the plug on Eberflus. For the third straight time, the Bears are spending a top-five pick on a QB and then firing his head coach after one season. It would be funny if it wasn't so insane. 
• Speaking of the top QB, Williams was just OK against the Lions now suffocating defense. He completed 20/39 passes for 256 yards and three TDs. Perhaps most impressive is that he didn't throw a pick. You could probably say he outperformed Goff, who had the same YPA and just two TDs, on the day. Especially when opposing defenses are factored in.
• The receiving corps of these two teams are close to a wash but the obvious difference is the run game. Where Caleb Williams and D'Andre Swift both had 37 yards, David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs both had 87. The Lions had 194 rush yards on 33 carries to the Bears 78 yards on 15 carries. The Bears run game wasn't bad - they averaged over five YPC as a team - they just got into a bad game script so quickly that they had to lean on a rookie QB to try to bring them back in the game. And in the end, that meant pissing away 20 seconds with a throw ten yards short of the end zone as the game ended. Still can't believe it. 
• A safety led the Bears in tackles again and not a good one - Kevin Byard III who is Keenan Allen's age. The Bears did manage two sacks on Goff - including one where former Badger Jack Sanborn contributed 
• The Lions sacked Caleb Williams five times. Packers twitter has been obsessed with Jordan Love's ability to not take a sack lately, it will be very important this week. 

Vikings

The Vikings eeked out a 23-22 win over the Cardinals. 

Game Notes

• Stop me if you've heard this before. The Vikings didn't play a great game outside their superstars, but they lucked into a super close win in the end. In this one, they won by just one point. Sadly, it's made even worse by the fact that the Cardinals played not to lose the entire game and probably lost a touchdown's worth of points just by playing scared and not aggressive. I don't know if there's ever been a team to pair more innovative schemes on offense and defense with cowardly non-innovative decision-making as the Cadrinals. 
• Darnold was 21/31 for 235 yards and two TDs. Jefferson and Addison combined for 153 of the yards. It was a Darnold game. Not great stats, not great looking play, but, hey, we have some all-pro weapons at least he can get them the ball. 
• Aaron Jones does not look like one of those all-pro weapons. He had two fumbles and a dropped TD to go with just 28 yards on eight touches. Jones ended up catching the winning TD but only after he was benched for (checks notes) Cam Akers. Maybe it's all part of a secret plan to save his legs for the post-season???
• The defense had Kyler Murray pulling his hair out all day. He threw two picks and was sacked by Jonathan Greenard, who now has ten on the season. The Vikings and Texans traded Greenard for Danielle Hunter and both teams are a lot happier this year because of it. I'd also be a lot happier to have an edge like this.