(670 The Score) The Bears (2-1) host the Vikings (2-1) on Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field. Kickoff comes at 3:23 p.m., and the game can be heard on WBBM Newsradio 780.
Let's break down the matchup.
Bears 100:
The Vikings represent a mirror image of the Bears, a team built around a staunch defense and solid running game that will win as many games as its unpredictable quarterback allows. Kirk Cousins typically struggles as the stakes increase, so expect the Bears' pass rush to succeed in harassing Cousins in this NFC North gut-check. Dalvin Cook might crack 100 yards but earn every one. Mitchell Trubisky will face similar pocket pressure but protect the ball better than Cousins. A tight game will come down to a key turnover forced by a Bears defense that – gulp – looks slightly improved from 2018.
Most intriguing matchup: Vikings edge rushers Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen vs. Bears offensive tackles Charles Leno and Bobby Massie
Massie missed the Bears' win Monday with vertigo, but the Redskins defense never made his absence obvious. If Massie returns to full strength, the challenge increases against Hunter and Griffen – the two explosive Vikings defenders perhaps most capable of wrecking the Bears' passing game. Trubisky receives most of the scrutiny but, truth is, the offensive line has been more inconsistent than the Bears would like through three games – especially the tackles. Leno and Massie need strong efforts in making holes and protecting the passer to prevent the Vikings' defensive front from controlling the game the way the Bears hope to defensively.
Quoting:
"This is big-boy football. Chicago knows that, too. We're not going to have any extra motivation that Chicago doesn't have. We'll go in there as two heavyweights, and one's going to emerge the victor."
--Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins
Quoting II:
"I don't know. That's what everybody told me when I got here then we won some games. I guess if you turn the ball over and you create penalties and you do dumb things, it's a pretty hard place to play. I think they've lost their last two at home."
--Vikings coach Mike Zimmer to reporters when asked what's so hard about playing at Soldier Field. Zimmer is 2-3 in Chicago as Minnesota's head coach.
Stat of the week:
The Vikings rank second in the NFL with 193.5 rushing yards per game. The Bears are giving up an average of 68.5 yards on the ground through three games. The Bears defense has yet to allow a run of 15 yards or longer – and Cook has eight of the Vikings' 12 runs of 15 yards or longer.
Stat of the week II:
Cook's 375 yards rushing are the most in the NFL through three games since Kareem Hunt's 401 in 2017. Only two NFL teams have more rushing attempts than the Vikings' 103.
Stat of the week III:
Trubisky has 579 passing yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions for a passer rating of 81.3. Kirk Cousins has 502 passing yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions for a passer rating of 86.9.
The difference:
The health of Bears defensive lineman Akiem Hicks matters more than usual against an old-school Vikings team committed to the run under new offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski. Hicks plays such a key role in clogging holes that the Vikings would exploit his absence. If the Bears can put Cousins into third-and-long situations, they can force turnovers that would likely turn this game. Offensively, coach Matt Nagy gave Trubisky more freedom against the Redskins, but the combination of Zimmer's scheme and the Vikings' talent will provide a stiffer test. Ball control becomes the primary goal, making David Montgomery as important as any perimeter weapon. This is a grind-it-out-game between two even teams, but the Bears maintain a slight edge at home.
Prediction: Bears 24, Vikings 23
David Haugh is the co-host of the Mully & Haugh Show on 670 The Score weekdays from 5-9 a.m. Listen to the show here. You can follow him on Twitter @DavidHaugh and email him at david.haugh@entercom.com.
