CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Chicago Bears take on the Minnesota Vikings on Monday. Kickoff is set for 7:15 p.m. at Soldier Field, and the game can be heard on WBBM Newsradio 780. Here are Jeff Joniak's keys to the game.
Offense
Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor calls the plays from the same playbook looking for better results against a newly constructed Vikings defense. Proper execution remains the goal no matter who is calling the plays and the Bears need to be significantly better at executing down to the slightest detail.
Nine weeks into the season the Bears run/pass ratio is leaning heavily on the arm of Nick Foles, in fact the highest pass rate in the league. Since October 1st the Bears run game has deteriorated into a paltry 2.84 yards/carry, the lowest in the league.
Getting back to running the football with more frequency and success is in my opinion the biggest key to the game against the Vikings. It will have to be done without David Montgomery(concussion), but will give a committee of options for Lazor to feed.
It is presumed that veteran Lamar Miller will come off the practice squad after missing all of 2019 and half of 2020 recovering from a torn ACL, but has experience with Lazor in Miami and has a nice resume of production.
Miller, Ryan Nall, Cordarrelle Patterson, and rookie Artavis Pierce all could find carries against a Vikings defense that ranks in the middle of the pack in stopping the run and 12th in yards/carry at 4.24
The Bears short passing game has produced a league high in completions of six-yards or less, and that moves the sticks, but the run game has to set the table on first down and finish on shorter third down scenarios. You want to keep Dalvin Cook off the field.
The Vikings do not have a game wrecker up front, and therefore the threat of constant pressure isn’t manufactured. However, it is not wise to underestimate Mike Zimmer. The head coach and defensive play caller is stingy on third down and always has been. It is a down the Bears have to make immediate and significant improvement.
Knowing where safety Harrison Smith is patrolling and blocking inside linebacker Eric Kendricks are critical in moving the ball on the Vikings. They are active players and playing at a high level and seem to always make a big play or two against the Bears.
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Defense
t will require tremendous discipline once again by the Bears defense to contain league rushing leader Dalvin Cook. Both Vic Fangio in 2018, and Chuck Pagano in 2019 have put together the right plan on Cook. In two games Cook has averaged only 2.93 yards-per-play against the Bears on 47 touches. That is exactly what the Bears want to do in meeting three.
Gap integrity, sure tackling, 11 bodies to the ball, eye discipline, all weigh heavy on the Bears defense this week against the dynamic talent. If he gets in the open field, and he does a lot, Cook is a game-changer.
Kirk Cousins is winless in nine previous Monday Night Football appearances, but that history doesn’t figure to matter much at Soldier Field in this meeting with the Bears. When Cousins is protected and gets the play-action game cooking he makes plays. When he throws interceptions the Vikings struggle to win. The Bears want to create some takeaways. The Vikings are winless in five games this season when they lose the turnover battle.
Rookie Justin Jefferson has opened his rookie season with a bang at receiver. The former LSU star is already approaching 700 yards receiving and is earning better than 18-yards a reception. Cousins is having an immediate connection with this saavy, acrobatic talent. He wins contested throws, and finds windows in zones, to the tune of nine catches of 25-yards or more this season.
Veteran Adam Thielen is a two-time pro bowler and dangerous out of the slot, so it’s a big job ahead again for Buster Skrine of the Bears. Thielen and Jefferson have combined for 49 passing first downs including 10 touchdowns.
This is going to be a big game for the Bears linebackers Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan, who have developed into a dynamic tandem, and for safety Eddie Jackson and defensive tackle Akiem Hicks. They will be asked to do a lot in the run game, but also be charged with making some clutch tackles for loss to grind the gears of the Vikings offense and be on high alert for the dangerous screen game of the Vikings.
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Special Teams
Field position is going to be big. The Vikings have struggled to get great field position or prevent it. They are last in the league averaging their own 24, while opponents have enjoyed an average start at their 34.
The Vikings are getting next to nothing out of their punt return with a league low average of 2.0 yards, while opponents are earning nearly 10.0yds, which is an opportunity for new Bears punt returner Dwayne Harris who after just two games is already fifth in the NFC in yardage.
Cordarrelle Patterson is not getting the kind of opportunities to take the ball out of the endzone like he did early in the season but still owns the highest yardage total in the league and is an ever present danger against the team that drafted him. The Vikings have the sixth best kick coverage unit.
Intangibles
Eight of the Bears nine games have been decided by the margin of one score or less, both wins and losses. They have learned how to play in tight games, but must even out the game by not falling behind and revert to catch-up mode the rest of the game.
The Vikings have played only 4 games decided by one score or less, but have started digging out of an early 1-5 hole by capitalizing on division wins. The Bears have to do the same to stop their three-game slide, what with five of the final seven games against division opponents, in what effectively counts double.
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