The coolest play to happen on the football field during Sunday’s divisional matchup between the Bears and Vikings technically didn’t even happen.
Facing second-and-11 from the Chicago 48-yard line, quarterback Justin Fields used his athletic ability to make something happen on a quarterback keeper. He took off on the ground, weaving through Vikings defenders, for a 52-yard touchdown run.
It was pretty epic. Unfortunately, it was nullified by an illegal block penalty on receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette, where Vikings cornerback Cameron Dantzler gave the performance of a lifetime to draw the flag.
“He flopped,” Smith-Marsette said after the game, via NBC Sports Chicago.
This Justin Fields TD run was nullified by a penalty but it was AWESOME.
(🎥: @TrainIsland) pic.twitter.com/SdmL9iwz34
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) October 9, 2022
It was a huge momentum shift in favor of the Vikings, who were able to hold the Bears to a 51-yard field goal. Chicago went up 22-21 instead of 26-21 in the fourth quarter.
It was made more painful when you realize the Bears would’ve only needed a field goal to win (or tie) the game on that final possession, where Dantzler played spoiler, ripping the ball out of Smith-Marsette’s hands to seal the 29-22 win for Minnesota.