The Chicago Bears and coach Matt Nagy have gone 5-1 against the Minnesota Vikings since 2018.
But the Bears have an extra obstacle Monday night at Soldier Field when they take on the Vikings in the first of two meetings in the final four weeks of the season.
As of Sunday night, the Bears had 14 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and all three coordinators also were in COVID-19 safety protocols during the week. To not overexert the players who were available, the Bears switched from live practices to walk-throughs, and they’re waiting to see if several key players will be able to return.
With all of that in mind, here’s our snapshot look at Monday’s game.
Chicago Bears (4-9) vs. Minnesota Vikings (6-7)
- Kickoff: 7:15 p.m. Monday at Soldier Field
- TV and radio: ESPN, ABC-7, WBBM-AM 780, WCFS-FM 105.9, WRTO-AM 1200 (Spanish).
- The line: Vikings by 6½. Over/under: 44½.
- Sign up now to get Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts first
1. Players in the spotlight
Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor was frank Friday when addressing how rookie left tackle Teven Jenkins can bounce back from a rough outing against the Green Bay Packers on Dec. 12.
Jenkins, filling in for veteran Jason Peters, who has a high right ankle sprain, was flagged four times and figured prominently in the Bears giving up a game-changing strip-sack. The Bears’ walk-throughs this week weren’t ideal for Jenkins’ preparation as he readies for what could be his first NFL start, but Lazor put the onus on Jenkins to do full-speed reps on his own if needed.
“We have no excuses for how we play, so that’s both as a team and for a player,” Lazor said. “The fact that he really hasn’t been able to practice with pads on in the NFL, that’s life. He’s paid to get a job done, so we expect him to get it done, and I bet he’d tell you he expects to get it done. So my expectations for Teven don’t change.
“I don’t mean to sound harsh, but part of building a culture that wins and that has high expectations is that you set the bar high and you keep the bar there, regardless of who’s in the game, and you don’t change expectations because the backup went in. It’s the backup’s job to be ready to step in when it’s time. When Jason went down and Teven went in, we’ve got to expect the same level of play that we always would. Some people say that’s unrealistic, but I would say that if that’s your mindset, over time you can build the right culture.”
Jenkins isn’t the only player on the offensive line to watch.
Rookie right tackle Larry Borom went on the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday. If he’s not ready in time, the Bears could look to Germain Ifedi, who hasn’t played since Week 5 because of a knee injury, or Elijah Wilkinson, who missed three weeks because of COVID-19.
All of that leads to the following question.
2. Pressing question
<mark class=”hl_orange”>Can the Bears and Justin Fields handle the Vikings pressure?</mark>
The Vikings defense ranks in the bottom third of the NFL in several categories, but it leads the league with 41 sacks for 289 yards lost.
Seven Vikings have three sacks or more, and though they’ve been playing without Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen, they had five sacks last week against Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
“Any time you get into third-and-long situations, second-and-long situations, that’s the down and distance that they want you in so they can bring some of those looks, get the running backs one-on-one with linebackers and stuff like that in those situations,” Bears center Sam Mustipher said. “But they’re running stunts up front (in) games. It’s a veteran linebacker corps that understands how to run that defense very well. You try to avoid those long situations where they can dial up some of those pressures that give teams trouble.”
According to Next Gen Stats, the Packers pressured Fields on 54.3% of his dropbacks, but Lazor said Fields handled it well.
“He is very much in control of what is happening,” Lazor said. “He can come to the sideline (and tell you) what he saw and why he did what he did. Maybe afterward, like any quarterback, he’d say, ‘I wish I would have done this or that differently.’ But with Justin it’s never a matter of he didn’t see what happened.
“To me, that’s a great sign. Because all guys are different. But to be able to perceive what’s happening physically and process it mentally, it’s a hard thing to change if a guy can’t do it. But Justin can do it. So that gives me great hope that his decisions will continue to grow the way we want them to.”
The Vikings give up a lot of yards — 381.5 per game — but their other defensive strength is a 35.63% third-down conversion rate allowed, ranked fifth in the NFL.
“They disguise coverages really well,” Fields said. “They bring a lot of blitz packages on third downs. We just have to stay out of long third downs and execute on third down.”
3. Keep an eye on …
The Vikings have put up more than 400 yards of offense in seven games, including three of the last four.
Justin Jefferson’s 1,288 receiving yards on 85 catches are second in the NFL to Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp’s 1,489. Tenth-year quarterback Kirk Cousins has thrown for 3,569 yards with 27 touchdowns and five interceptions, showing what Bears defensive coordinator Sean Desai called confidence and decisiveness. And running back Dalvin Cook has averaged nearly 100 rushing yards per game in his 10 appearances.
So a depleted Bears defense could be in for another big test a week after Aaron Rodgers picked it apart in the second half of a Packers win.
As of Sunday night, Bears starting safeties Eddie Jackson and Tashaun Gipson and starting cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Artie Burns all were on the COVID-19 list.
Gipson said Jefferson is playing like a top-five receiver.
“He can run every route. He can get in and out of his breaks in full speed. He has really good speed and great hands,” Gipson said. “It’s tough to say one thing that stands out about him.
“The biggest thing is you can see his confidence. He’s playing like he doesn’t believe anybody can guard him. You can tell by the swagger that he exudes when he’s on the field. It’s tough. Once you get your mind made up that you’re that guy, it’s going to take a lot to get you off your tracks.”
4. COVID-19 report
After the Bears didn’t add any players to the reserve/COVID-19 list Saturday, they added two key players Sunday — Johnson and Gipson.
As of Sunday, Johnson, Gipson, Borom, Jackson, Burns, wide receiver Allen Robinson, quarterback Andy Dalton, tight end Jesse James, cornerback Duke Shelley, defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr., linebackers Joel Iyiegbuniwe and Sam Kamara, running back Ryan Nall and wide receiver Isaiah Coulter were on the list.
The only players they had brought back from the list as of Sunday were Wilkinson and nose tackle Eddie Goldman.
Nagy said on WBBM-AM 780 Monday morning that defensive coordinator Sean Desai will return for the game.
If Lazor can’t return, quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo would serve as offensive coordinator, though Nagy indicated he could call plays. And special teams coordinator Chris Tabor’s assistant, Brian Ginn, would fill in.
5. Injury report
Peters will not play because of his ankle sprain, and the Bears also ruled out cornerback Xavier Crawford, who has a concussion, and safety DeAndre Houston-Carson, who has a broken forearm.
Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (foot) and defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga (shoulder) are doubtful.
The status of inside linebacker Roquan Smith and defensive lineman Akiem Hicks will be worth watching after both were listed as questionable. Smith has been dealing with a recurring hamstring injury, and Hicks has missed four games with an ankle injury. The Bears thought Hicks might be ready to play last week, but he was ruled out the day before.
The Vikings listed wide receiver Adam Thielen (ankle) as questionable.
Predictions
Brad Biggs (11-2)
The Bears have limited the Vikings to fewer than 14 points in eight of the last 11 meetings at Soldier Field. The Vikings won last year’s meeting in Chicago 19-13 in the first start by quarterback Nick Foles, but the Bears have dominated the series at home, winning 10 of the last 13. With injuries and COVID-19 creating holes across the roster, this is a tough spot for the Bears. Of the two teams, the Vikings have much more at stake with a wild-card playoff berth possible. They have to be eyeing their schedule and two remaining games with the Bears as a chance to get above .500 and sneak into the postseason.
<mark class=”hl_purple”>Vikings 31, Bears 21</mark>
Colleen Kane (12-1)
Given Matt Nagy’s success against the Vikings — 5-1 over three seasons — I would have picked the Bears to win if we had made the predictions Monday. But the shuffle this week with 14 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list as of Sunday and all three coordinators sidelined seems like a pretty hefty obstacle for the Bears to overcome. That’s not to mention several injuries to key players. I’m not sure if the Bears should be more worried about their offensive line or their secondary given the absences, and the Vikings are in position to take advantage if either is shaky Monday night. Even though Kirk Cousins is historically bad in prime time, I think the Vikings still pull off a close one.
<mark class=”hl_purple”>Vikings 28, Bears 26</mark>
Dan Wiederer (12-1)
The Vikings are a dreadful 4-14 in Chicago since the new Soldier Field opened in 2003. So all bets are off when applying logical game evaluation to this series. But given the Bears disarray — one win since Oct. 10 and this week’s COVID-19 disruptions — this will be an uphill climb for the home team. Mike Zimmer’s defense figures to flummox rookie quarterback Justin Fields just enough. And with their playoff hopes hanging by a thread, the Vikings will escape.
<mark class=”hl_purple”>Vikings 23, Bears 20</mark>
Source: Berkshire mont