The Vikings will have an opportunity to win their third game in a row and perhaps (if Green Bay loses to Indianapolis) even lay claim to sole possession of first place in the NFC North when they face the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday. A Vikings victory would mark their fourth in five weeks and it would continue a drastic turnaround from a season that began with losses in the first two games.
But a Vikings victory on Sunday in Chicago won’t be easy. The Vikings left the Windy City 34-31 winners last year thanks to Adrian Peterson’s 224-yard rushing performance and a gritty 55-yard game-winning field goal by Ryan Longwell as time expired, but prior to that the Purple hadn’t been victorious on the road against the Bears since 1999.
Three of the last four games between these two teams have been decided by one score or less, and it won’t be surprising to see a similar result this time. The Vikings seem to be in a nail-biter each week and the Bears are 1-1 at home this year, with the two games decided by a combined seven points.
When Chicago has the ball…
The Bears are typically known for their staunch defense, but the offense isn’t at all bad this year, either. Behind quarterback Kyle Orton, the Bears are averaging 24.7 points per game and they are averaging 337 yards of offense per game, 11th best in the league. It’s not a juggernaut, but the Bears offense rests in capable hands with Orton at the helm. Also, rookie running back Matt Forte has been impressive so far in 2008, ranking fifth in the NFL in rushing.
In Orton, Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress said he sees a “quarterback that looks comfortable and he looks like he has a grasp of what they want him to do offensively.” Look for the Bears to challenge the Vikings pass defense while mixing in a running game with the combination of Forte and Kevin Jones.
The Vikings will look to pressure Orton with their front four and perhaps occasionally mix in a blitz to add additional pressure and create confusing looks. On the road, Minnesota’s defense has been less apt to pressure the quarterback, so the challenge this week will be to reverse that trend. Aside from combating Orton and trying to stop Forte, the Vikings will also need to pay special attention to Devin Hester, the shifty kick returner/receiver who can score from anywhere on the field.
When the Vikings have the ball…
The usual recipe will likely be in play for the Vikings – establish the run and a consistent passing attack. Former Chicago Bear Bernard Berrian has now tallied consecutive 100-yard receiving performances and he will surely be looking to make it three in a row on Sunday. Of receivers with 20 or more receptions, Berrian has the highest per-catch average in the NFL. Additionally, Gus Frerotte is third in the league in passing plays of 25+ yards since taking over as the starter in Week 3. The Vikings will look to continue those trends, which will cause the Bears to back away their safeties and linebackers from the line of scrimmage to defend the pass, thus opening holes in the running game for Peterson and Chester Taylor.
Childress mentioned on Wednesday that the Bears are more active in their pre-snap movements, looking to disguise their intentions and create confusion for the offense. But ultimately, the Bears will look to move the line of scrimmage backwards with their front four and allow linebackers Brian Ulracher and Lance Briggs to run free and clean up tackles.