The Bears’ injury report is giving Brian Flores something to chew on before Week 2.
Chicago’s two main backs, D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai, were both limited again Thursday. Swift is dealing with ankle and knee issues, while Monangai is working through a hamstring injury. Starting right tackle Darnell Wright, though, moved in the right direction after missing Wednesday and got in a limited session.
That matters because the Bears just put on a show on the ground in Week 1. Swift carried 18 times for 124 yards and three touchdowns, while Monangai needed only 10 rushes to pile up 100 yards and break loose for a 61-yard score. Chicago gashed Carolina for 291 rushing yards, six rushing touchdowns and 7.5 yards per carry in a 59-37 win.
So yes, Minnesota has a reason to pay attention. But limited practice status is not the same thing as a game-day limitation, and Wright’s return to the field points in a better direction for Chicago than a Wednesday absence would have.
Still, Flores has a real puzzle on his hands.
Minnesota came after Green Bay on 82.1 percent of dropbacks in Week 1, the highest blitz rate in the league by a wide margin. That kind of pressure package is one thing against one offense; it’s another when the opponent just showed it can punish bad run fits and create damage outside the tackles. Chicago generated 154 of its rushing yards outside the tackles in Week 1, which is exactly the sort of number that makes a defensive play-caller think twice before emptying the clip.
The temptation is obvious: get after Caleb Williams. But Flores also has to account for what the Bears already put on tape, and this isn’t a spot where Minnesota can simply copy and paste the Packers plan from opening week.
Chicago’s injury situation could tilt that balance. If Swift or Monangai is held to a lighter workload, or if Wright’s knee makes him less effective on the edge, Flores gets a little more room to attack Williams without spending every snap bracing for the run.
Wright’s status also affects Minnesota’s pass-rush approach. Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel are key pieces in how Flores creates pressure without giving away the look, and Van Ginkel was limited Thursday as well because of a chest injury.
Friday’s final report should clear up a lot. If Wright, Swift and Monangai all avoid game designations, Minnesota has to prepare for the full version of that 291-yard rushing problem. If even one of them is less than fully available, Chicago’s ability to lean on the same ground game may take a hit.
Either way, Flores can’t bank on the injury report to solve this one. The Bears already showed what this offense can do when it’s rolling. Now the question is whether they can do it again.
In Other News...
Vikings Face One Decision That Could Swing Everything Against Chicago
The biggest question hanging over the Vikings-Bears matchup is whether Chicago will have Kyler Murray available after the concussion issue that has clouded the week. If he cannot go, Carson Wentz would be the next man up, and that changes the feel of a divisional game that already carries plenty of edge. Minnesota enters with the kind of run defense that can force an offense to be patient, while Chicago is dealing with its own concerns up front and in the backfield.
For Brian Flores, the challenge is making life difficult for Caleb Williams no matter who is under center on the other side. The Vikings will also be watching how Jordan Addison fits into a matchup that could turn on a few key plays, while Chicagos defense leans on Jaylon Johnson to help keep things tight. In a rivalry like this, one quarterback decision can ripple through everything else, and Minnesota knows how quickly that can tilt the game one way or the other. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings QB What-If Just Got A Lot More Painful
The Vikings 2024 draft plan looks a lot different in hindsight, and not in a way that should make anyone in Minnesota feel better. ESPN insider Kevin Seifert reported the team tried to trade up to No. 3 to take Drake Maye, but could not get a deal done with the Patriots, leaving them to stay put and draft J.J. McCarthy at No. 10.
Since then, Minnesota has already moved on to Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz on the depth chart, while Maye has gone to New England and immediately turned the Patriots into a problem for the rest of the league. After leading them to the Super Bowl and coming close to MVP-level recognition in his first full season as a starter, he is exactly the kind of quarterback what-if that can linger around a franchise for a long time. [Read more 🡒]
Justin Jefferson Just Gave Vikings Fans Real Reason To Trust Wentz
The Vikings have a little more clarity behind the starting quarterback spot now that Carson Wentz has been tabbed as the No. 2 behind J.J. McCarthy, and the reasoning is pretty straightforward: experience and the ability to handle every part of the job. That mattered once the season opened and Wentz had to step in for an injured Kyler Murray, settling into the offense and helping guide a comeback win while showing the kind of poise Minnesota was hoping to have available if the depth chart got tested.
Justin Jefferson came away impressed by what he saw, praising Wentz for being prepared and steady when the game turned on him. For a Vikings team that knows injuries can change everything quickly, that kind of endorsement from its top receiver matters. It does not settle every question around the quarterback room, but it does give the club another reason to feel good about the veteran sitting one snap away. [Read more 🡒]