The Chicago Bears have a path to 2-0, and it starts with a handful of clear matchup edges against the Minnesota Vikings.
If the Bears are going to leave Week 2 with a win and keep rolling into Week 3, they’ll need those advantages to show up early and often. The most obvious one comes at quarterback.
Minnesota is expected to start Carson Wentz with Kyler Murray injured, and while Wentz helped the Vikings get a win in Week 1, he did it in a very limited role: 133 passing yards on just 19 attempts. Minnesota clearly tried to keep things simple for him, and Dennis Allen will need to have a strong plan ready for a backup quarterback.
Up front, Chicago has a chance to make life uncomfortable for Wentz. The Vikings lost their center to retirement this offseason and did not make a real effort to replace him with a legitimate answer.
The Bears’ interior line was the biggest weakness in Week 1, so this is not exactly a spotless matchup on Chicago’s side. Even so, Grady Jarrett gives the Bears a veteran presence who should be able to generate push and force Wentz off his spot.
The passing game also gives Chicago a real shot to strike. Brian Flores leans hard on the blitz, and that style can leave openings if Caleb Williams gets the ball out quickly.
The Vikings secondary already showed cracks in Week 1, when Packers receivers had plenty of success against it. Christian Watson went for 147 yards and two touchdowns on six catches, while Matthew Golden added six receptions for 95 yards.
Luther Burden and Rome Odunze may have even higher ceilings than that duo, which is exactly why this matchup could turn dangerous fast if Minnesota comes after Williams and misses.
Tight end is another place where the Bears can attack. Minnesota had problems dealing with that position in Week 1.
Tucker Kraft caused issues, and Jonnu Smith added two catches for 50 yards by slipping through the cracks while the defense focused elsewhere. Cole Kmet followed with a big touchdown catch in Week 1 and remains one of the better tight ends in the league when healthy.
Another game with a big grab or two feels very much on the table.
There is one more wrinkle that matters for Chicago’s offense: the Vikings created 31 pressures in Week 1, but only seven came from the interior defensive line, and those were spread across three different players. In other words, when Minnesota does not blitz, it does not get much pressure. That puts the burden on the Bears to keep Williams clean when Flores holds back and doesn’t send the house.
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