Nothing makes Bears fans forget about a tough loss better than a win against a division opponent. The Bears will get the chance this Sunday when they host the Minnesota Vikings in the first of their two meetings this season. Both teams, along with the Green Bay Packers, are tied atop the NFC North with matching records of 3-3. One team must make a move to get ahead of the pack now (no pun intended), or they will still be trapped in a three-team dogfight for one playoff spot. If the Bears intend to claim that spot, beating the Vikings at Soldier Field is they way to start.
On paper, the Vikes and Bears are strikingly similar. Both offenses have a strong emphasis on running the ball with their young feature backs with passing games that are improving each week. On the defensive side of the ball, each pride themselves on shutting down the run (Minnesota is ranked fourth and Chicago sixth against the run) while their pass defense can be hit-or-miss. Sunday’s game will be about hitting the hole hard and hitting the opponent harder. The outcome will be directly tied to which secondary can make the most plays.
The Bears’ problems in pass defense (currently ranked 27th) over the past few weeks are well-documented, as it has been the biggest contributor to each of the Bears’ three losses. It doesn’t look to get any easier against Minnesota, as the Bears’ top three cornerbacks are all fighting injuries. Bernard Berrian, having fled to the Vikings for more money, is coming off of two straight 100 yard receiving performances. He is without question the Vikings’ top playmaker at wide-out, and like Atlanta, the talent drop-off after their number one is significant. The Bears can’t be stubborn this week regarding Berrian, as Gus Frerotte has show the ability to find him downfield, often in key situations. He and Berrian will surely look to duplicate Matt Ryan and Roddy White’s tremendous success of last week. Double teams should be coming Berrian’s way in bunches. With that in mind, the Bears first focus will still be on running back Adrian Peterson. Early last season the Bears gave up the most rushing yards in franchise history to Peterson, getting gashed for 224 yards and three touchdowns in one game. The defense will be looking to take Peterson out of the flow early, but they’ll need help in the form of turnovers which leads to successful offensive possessions. They’ll also need a better effort from defensive tackle Tommie Harris, whose production is at a career low. Stopping Peterson will rely on his penetration in the middle of the Minnesota offensive line. If he has a poor showing, so will the Bears’ defense.
To keep Adrian Peterson from having a huge day, the Bears must get on the scoreboard early. Making an opponent play from behind is the best and most effective way to keep their running game in check. Kyle Orton must continue to improve this week coming off of a strong second half against Atlanta. The wide receivers and tight ends will be the focal points of the offense yet again, as Minnesota is stout in their run defense. They only allow an average of 73 yards a game, so Forte will need help up front to have a successful afternoon. The Minnesota pass defense has grown with the addition of last year’s sack leader Jared Allen. Allen may only have three sacks, but Minnesota as a team ranks ninth overall in the league with fourteen. Kyle should make a point of utilizing the short throws to the tight ends and running backs in order to avoid the pass rush until something opens up downfield to receivers Devin Hester or Rashied Davis. Orton is completing about 61% of his passes (18th among NFL QB’s), a percentage that coordinator Ron Turner and the offensive staff would like to see increase. Against Minnesota’s opportunistic secondary, Orton won’t have room for mistakes.
With the taste of a loss to Atlanta still in their mouths, fans will be looking to Lovie Smith to rectify the mistakes of the past. The Vikings are always a troublesome opponent, but this is a game the Bears can win. As far as Smith is concerned, his team is 0-0. Their road to the post-season starts this Sunday in front of their home crowd. Don’t disappoint.
