T.J. Hockenson Sends Blunt Words to Vikings Before Bears Game
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.
Minnesota need 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. Hockenson was 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 notable low 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 is crucial 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 the November 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.”
Troy Aikman Outlines What Dak Prescott and Cowboys Have to Do to Reach Playoffs
Dak Prescott and his Dallas Cowboys are currently 3-5-1, which means they have a mountain to climb in the hotly contested and tight NFC to reach the playoffs.
The death of former defensive end Marshawn Kneeland has overshadowed anything and everything related to the franchise, as the players, coaches, staff, and owners are in mourning.
They have returned to practice and should be looking to iron out most of the mistakes they committed in their last game, a Week 9 debacle in front of their home fans at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals.
That game highlighted not only their season-long defensive problems but also revealed where Prescott and his offense went wrong. Franchise legend Troy Aikman, while speaking on NFL Live, detailed what needs to change.
It’s indicative of just how much they rely on the offense… If they don’t play at their best, they are going to have a hard time winning… This offense, the last 2 weeks, has not played very well. They’ve turned the ball over. I think you can run a case that they should run the ball a little more than what they do.
Troy Aikman said
The three-time Super Bowl winner feels that since the defense will take time to improve, it is on Dak Prescott and his offense to ensure they do their part well.
"It's indicative of just how much [the Dallas Cowboys] rely on the offense." @TroyAikman highlights the areas Dallas must clean up to find its groove again ✍️ pic.twitter.com/a1HscxSz0I
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL)
Otherwise, they will struggle against anyone. The offense has to stop turning the ball over, run more, and they have to take advantage of the weapons they currently have.
Troy Aikman warns of upcoming tough schedule
Once Troy Aikman talked about what Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys offense need to do to stay on top of their opponents, the Hall of Famer detailed to
They’ve got a gauntlet of games once they get past this game on Monday night against Las Vegas. You hate to say it, but that’s when the tough part of their schedule hits them. They have to get better.
Troy Aikman said
Aikman understood that the team was dealing emotionally after the death of Marshawn Kneeland. But he hopes they use that as motivation to win against the Raiders.
He also hopes their two major trade acquisitions will use that game to understand their schemes. Once the Raiders’ game is over, it will get a lot tougher when facing 4 playoff contenders in their final 7 games.
Dak Prescott and his Cowboys have to win against Raiders
Before heading into their Week 10 bye, Dallas Cowboys fans had hoped their team would take care of business against an inconsistent Arizona Cardinals.
That did not happen, as essentially, the visitors gave them a thorough beating on both sides of the ball. In fact, they were mocking the Cowboys’ defense after every score. If America’s Team has to have a sliver of a chance of playing in the postseason, they have to win their Monday Night game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
They have to be mindful, as the latter can get hot, just like they did in Week 9 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. New acquisitions Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson have to set the tone if the defense wants to avoid another beatdown.
On the other side, Dak Prescott and his unit have to avoid a repeat of their mistakes against the Cardinals. This game against the Raiders is a must-win.
