The Chicago Bears face off against the Minnesota Vikings for their second divisional game of the season in Week 5. Coming off a frustrating loss to the New York Giants, the Bears are hoping to get back in the ‘win’ column and to pick up a game against a division rival, which would help if the Bears are in the hunt for a Wild Card spot come January.
Here are the three keys to victory over the Vikings.
Protect Justin Fields
The Chicago Bears' offensive line has been a major disappointment through the first four games. No one thought they’d be among the league’s best, but it should still be better than what we’ve seen.
In a game against pass rushers Danielle Hunter and Zadarius Smith, it’s critical that the offensive line figure out how to click right away. If they let the Vikings tee off against Fields, it could be a very long afternoon.
Chunk Plays
Piggybacking off the first point, Fields will need to connect on chunk plays to keep up with the Vikings. Justin Jefferson is arguably the most talented wide receiver in the league right now, and the Bears are unlikely to have cornerback Jaylon Johnson back for this matchup.
The secondary could surprise everyone, but for now, Jefferson seems set to have a big game. The Bears will need some electric plays of their own to keep drives from bogging down inside their own forty-yard line and literally punting away their chance to win.
Red Zone Efficiency
Last week, Fields connected with wide receiver Darnell Mooney on a gorgeous deep ball, but the drive still ended in a field goal. They didn’t score a single touchdown against the New York Giants.
Obviously, that won’t hack it against the Vikings. When they reach the red zone, the Bears must get it into the endzone. The Vikings have the firepower on offense to easily put up thirty or more points, and the Bears must be able to keep up.
This is a tough contest for the Bears, and while they have a clear path to victory, I don’t think they’ll pull it off this time. Expect the Vikings to win a close game that gets out of hand in the final quarter, 38-24.