There’s no easy game for the Bears, but getting the 1-4 Vikings at home is about as good of an opportunity as they’ll see this season.
The Bears broke out of their 0-4 start and snapped a 14-game losing streak by beating the Commanders 40-20 last week and are looking to win two games in a row for the first time since Weeks 16 and 17 of the 2021 season. Here’s what it will take:
QB Justin Fields must be prolific
These last two games have been the best back-to-back of Fields’ career: 67.2 completion percentage, 617 yards, eight touchdown passes, one interception, one lost fumble, 131.3 passer rating. Normally it might feel unreasonable to demand that he maintains that pace, but the Vikings have one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL. He has to take advantage.
Bears defense must shut down Kirk Cousins
Cousins is sixth in the NFL in passer rating at 101.7, but he’s missing his best weapon since wide receiver Justin Jefferson is out with a hamstring injury. On the flip side, the Bears have their full secondary intact for the first time since the season opener with the return of nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon. Even with issues in the Bears’ pass rush, the secondary needs to be dominant.
Someone other than DJ Moore must contribute as a receiver
The Bears finally started focusing on Moore in the passing attack, and unsurprisingly he turned the increased targets into increased production. He has 361 yards and four touchdowns on 16 catches the last two games. If someone else can get going, most notably Darnell Mooney, it would open up the Bears’ passing attack even more.
