The Minnesota Vikings head to Chicago in Week 2 riding the momentum of their season-opening win over the Green Bay Packers, and they’ll need more of the same if they want to leave the Windy City at 2-0. Kevin O’Connell’s team put up 39 points last week, and that kind of production may again be necessary against a Bears team coming off a 59-37 win over the Carolina Panthers.
Minnesota’s recent trips to Chicago have already given this matchup some bite. The last time the Vikings were there was Week 1 of the 2025 season, when they escaped with a 27-24 win.
Chicago answered later that year with a 19-17 victory at U.S. Bank Stadium in Week 11, a game in which Minnesota managed only a field goal through the first three quarters.
For fans trying to catch the NFC North showdown, the Vikings’ official site also lists other ways to watch and listen depending on location and device.
One player worth keeping an eye on is Jauan Jennings. Minnesota signed the veteran wideout to a one-year, $8 million deal in free agency, expecting a proven target after his career-best stretch with San Francisco. He had come off a season with nine touchdowns and, two years earlier, personal bests of 77 catches and 975 receiving yards.
Week 1, though, was a rough start. Jennings played 31 offensive snaps and finished without a catch or even a target. His 50.6 receiving grade was the lowest on the team, according to Pro Football Focus, and the only pass thrown his way was intercepted.
Kyler Murray’s first throw is an interception. pic.twitter.com/kQHiuol7Z5
A lot of that falls on Kyler Murray, but it still left Jennings with a line he’d rather forget.
The good news for Jennings is that one game doesn’t define a season, and Chicago could offer a chance to get right. The Bears allowed 361 yards and three touchdowns on 23 catches to the Panthers last week, and their primary slot defender was 2026 fourth-round pick Malik Muhammad. Jennings spent most of his time working in the middle of the field against Green Bay, which makes this a matchup worth watching.
Muhammad did have moments in his NFL debut, including an interception and a pass break-up, but he also gave up an average of 13.4 yards on five receptions and missed three of his six tackle attempts, per Pro Football Focus.
With Justin Jefferson expected to keep rolling and Jordan Addison trying to bounce back from a dud of his own, Minnesota could use Jennings to help stress a Bears secondary that showed some openings in Week 1.
In Other News...
Vikings Already Face A Tough Chicago Question After First Injury Report
The first injury reports for Sundays game at Soldier Field already added a little extra intrigue to a Vikings-Bears matchup that had enough of its own built in. Minnesota is dealing with the loss of Jordan Mason to injured reserve because of a thumb injury, while Chicago listed right tackle Darnell Wright as out of practice with a knee issue. On top of that, both teams had a handful of other players limited or sitting out entirely, leaving the usual early-week uncertainty around who will actually be available by kickoff.
For the Vikings, the bigger picture goes beyond one report and into how much the roster can absorb this kind of attrition before a divisional game on the road. Chicagos injury list is worth watching too, especially on the offensive line, where Wrights status can shape the entire feel of the matchup. More updates are expected later in the week, and for a game with this much familiarity between the teams, the health chart may end up mattering just as much as the game plan. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Flores Faces A Bears Problem Vikings Fans Should Worry About
Ben Johnsons Chicago offense just put up a reminder of why the Bears can be a tricky matchup for Brian Flores defense. The ground game powered the day with 291 rushing yards and six touchdowns, and that kind of production is exactly the sort of thing that can stress a Vikings unit built to create chaos. Flores defense led the league in blitz rate in Week 1, but Johnsons heavy use of motion and misdirection is designed to make aggressive defenses think twice before they attack.
For Minnesota, the concern is not just one hot game from Chicago but the pattern Johnson has already established against Flores groups. His offenses have done well in those meetings before, which gives this upcoming matchup a familiar edge for the Bears and a lot to solve for the Vikings. If Minnesota cannot keep Johnsons run game from setting the terms, the rest of the defensive plan becomes a lot harder to trust. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Win Over Green Bay Said Everything About OConnells Focus
The first week of the season offered a familiar kind of evidence for Minnesota, but it was the sort that has nothing to do with a box score line or a social-media debate. Kevin OConnell has long preferred to frame the Vikings through the lens of execution and team result, and the opener against Green Bay fit that mold neatly, with the defense affecting Jordan Love far more than any individual number could capture. Around the division, even other coaches were talking about the hidden work that decides games, from blocking effort to communication up front.
OConnells point has always been that the Vikings are at their best when the conversation stays on winning and not on public perception. The Packers offensive issues underscored how quickly a game can tilt when the details slip, and Minnesotas head coach has made it clear he wants his own team measured the same way. In a league that often turns every performance into a referendum, that kind of focus can be a competitive edge all by itself. [Read more 🡒]