A pair of division rivals from the old Black and Blue Division known as the NFC Central, now members of the NFC North, do battle in the Windy City searching for a victory. The Minnesota Vikings are on the road looking to maintain their recent momentum as they travel to face the fading Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football. Minnesota earned a second straight win as they dropped the Lions 34-20 at home last Sunday in their previous game. Chicago saw their fourth quarter rally fall short as they were dropped 24-17 on the road by the Titans last Sunday in their most recent contest. The Vikings own a 60-55-2 edge in the all-time regular season series between the teams but the Bears have won the last four meetings. Last season, Chicago claimed a 16-6 home win on September 29, 2019 and followed that up with a 21-19 road triumph on December 29, 2019.
Minnesota Vikings Go for Third Straight Victory
Minnesota seemed dead in the water at 1-5 but has bounced back with a pair of solid division wins, first beating Green Bay on the road and then upending the Lions at home last week. The Vikings look to go for a clean sweep of division rivals as they head to the Windy City for this contest. Minnesota jumped to a 13-0 lead after the opening quarter against the Lions and didn’t look back. Their lead never dropped below three and the defense came up with a pair of big plays late in the third quarter, intercepting Matthew Stafford twice in the red zone. The Vikings held a 487-421 edge in total offense while overcoming losing the first down battle 30-22 and the time of possession by a 32:49 to 27:11 margin. Minnesota forced three turnovers, including those two red zone picks, to help offset having two punts blocked deep in their own end of the field.
Top 2 back in the league and he ain’t #2
📱: https://t.co/EYGyNNxBPN pic.twitter.com/32SPgVFJn3
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 8, 2020
The Vikings are 25th in the league in passing offense as they average 221.6 yards per game through the air this season. Minnesota is a stellar third in the league in rushing offense as they average 160.4 yards per contest on the ground. The Vikings are 12th in the league in scoring offense by putting up 27.1 points per game this year. Minnesota has struggled defensively, ranking 25th in scoring defense as they allow 29.3 points a contest. Kirk Cousins is the trigger man for the Vikings’ offense. He has completed 137 of 209 passes for 1,855 yards with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. In addition, he has been sacked 16 times for 82 yards in losses while running for 55 yards on the season. Dalvin Cook is the linchpin of the offense as he has run the ball 144 times for 858 yards and 12 scores: he leads the league in rushing yards. Alexander Mattison is a solid secondary back as he has 69 carries for 322 yards plus a score. In the passing game, Adam Thielen (team-high 37 catches, 480 yards, seven TD) and rookie Justin Jefferson (34 grabs, team-high 627 yards, three TD) are the only players with at least 200 receiving yards this season. Dan Bailey is 19 of 20 on extra points and six of eight on field goals with a long of 52 this year.
Minnesota is going to rely on their ground game and that could work against a Chicago defense that is in the middle of the pack against the run. The Bears are 14th in the league in run defense by allowing 116.9 yards per game and are 11th by giving up 4.1 yards per carry. Chicago has given up at least 100 yards on the ground in seven of their nine games though they did hold the Titans to 31 carries for 92 yards last week. If Minnesota flexes their muscle on the ground with Cook, it will go a long way toward tipping the scales toward the Purple People Eaters.
Chicago Bears Hoping to Get Back in Win Column
Chicago started the season 5-1 but that seems like a distant memory as their defeat to Tennessee marked their third straight loss. The Bears now hope that they can regain their early season mojo and avoid falling to .500 on the season here. Chicago was stifled for the majority of the game offensively and their fourth quarter rally left them short when the final gun sounded. The Bears were blanked in the first three quarters of the game, including giving up a scoop-six in the third quarter that killed a promising drive and gave Tennessee a 17-0 lead. Chicago scored 17 fourth quarter points, including a pair of touchdowns in the final 5:06, but it wasn’t enough to get them a win, or even to overtime. The Bears owned a 375-228 edge in total offense, picked up 22 first downs while allowing 11 and owned a 33:54 to 26:06 edge in time of possession yet still lost. Chicago did turn the ball over twice, including that scoop-six, while failing to generate a turnover. The stagnant offense for the first three quarters wasted a pretty solid effort from the defense.
First career TD for @Ryannall34! 🙌
10-24.
📺: FOX #CHIvsTEN | #DaBears pic.twitter.com/cvxzJAasIs— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) November 8, 2020
On the year, the Bears are 21st in the league in passing offense as they generate 235.4 yards per game through the air on the year. Chicago stands dead last in the league in rushing offense as they average 82.3 yards per contest. The Bears are 29th in the league in scoring offense as they average only 19.8 points per game. Chicago is seventh in the league by allowing 21.1 points a contest on the season. Nick Foles has taken over the reins as the starting quarterback this season. He has hit 187 of 285 passes for 1,746 yards with 10 touchdowns and seven picks while getting sacked 16 times for 129 yards in losses. Mitch Trubisky was the starter but lost the job: he’s 51 of 86 for 560 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions while ranking second on the team with 90 rushing yards. David Montgomery is the lead back in the ground game as he has 131 carries for 472 yards and a score. There’s pretty much nothing behind him on the depth chart with Trubisky and wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson (29 carries, 88 yards) second and third on the team in rushing yards. Montgomery is a question mark for this one after suffering a concussion against Tennessee. That could thrust Ryan Nall and Artavis Pierce into extended action. In the passing game, Allen Robinson II leads the team with 57 receptions for 712 yards and three scores on the year. Darnell Mooney (31 grabs, 348 yards, two TD), Anthony Miller (32 catches, 321 yards, two TD) and tight end Jimmy Graham (35 catches, 302 yards, team-high five TD) all have at least 300 receiving yards this season. Cairo Santos has hit all 17 extra point attempts and 15 of 17 field goal tries with a long of 55 this year.
Chicago is going to have to find a way to get their ground game going again. After running for 414 yards in their first three games this season, the Bears have seen the run game crater. Chicago has amassed a total of 325 yards in their last six games, averaging less than three yards a carry in five of those six contests. Minnesota is just 20th against the run as they allow 125 yards per contest and they are a dismal 30th against the pass by giving up 287.9 yards per game this season. If Montgomery doesn’t go, the Bears will have to turn to the passing game, which could come in handy against a Minnesota secondary that has struggled, not to mention hampered by injuries.
