Ben Johnson Headlines 4 Key Matchups for Bears in Week 2 Showdown vs Vikings

Fresh off the best season-opener in franchise history, the Chicago Bears suddenly look very much like the legit Super Bowl contender that many analysts expected them to be. But Week 1 lies, as the saying goes, and before we can fully buy into what the Bears are selling, we'll need to see them do it again.

They don't have to put up 60 points two weeks in a row to prove that their Super Bowl window has opened, mind you. But the Bears face a much bigger test in Week 2 with the Minnesota Vikings coming to Soldier Field, and finding offensive success against that squad would be undeniably impressive.

The Vikings just snatched a stunning victory from the jaws of defeat in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers, so they're riding a wave of confidence just as much as the Bears are. This division rivalry matchup could very well spark the biggest fireworks show of the week, and it's likely going to be defined by a handful of matchups. Here are four for Bears fans to watch as the game unfolds.

1. Ben Johnson vs Brian Flores

The players have to play, but what will likely be the deciding factor of this divisional clash is the chess match between two masters of their craft: offensive playcaller Ben Johnson and defensive playcaller Brian Flores. We just watched this Bears offense drop 59 points on the Carolina Panthers, who are no slouches on defense. Meanwhile, the Vikings' defense had Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love in hell for 60 minutes as they blitzed him on nearly 80% of his dropbacks.

As a playcaller, Johnson is 5-1 against Flores since 2023, but that should bring only a little comfort to Bears fans. You can always count on Flores to have a diabolical plan for every opponent, and he's going to make Johnson's offense work like a mule to get points on the board. More than any matchup between players, it's this battle of coaches that will make or break the Bears in Week 2.

2. Caleb Williams vs The Blitz

The 2026 season opener could not have gone much better for Caleb Williams, who looked every bit the budding superstar we heard about in training camp (here we'll ignore Williams' baffling Week 1 grade from Pro Football Focus). Not only did he complete more than 70% of his passes and throw for nearly 300 yards, but he added 65 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

It was good to see Williams show himself to be such a running threat in Week 1; he may have to do quite a bit of that in Week 2 against the Vikings. To piggyback off of the first matchup I listed, Williams needs to be ready for a heavy dose of exotic blitz packages. Johnson should help him out with some dump-off and checkdown options to get the ball out of his hands without throwing it away, but Williams may have to rely on his own two legs and magical elusiveness to avoid a catastrophic performance.

3. Bears secondary vs Justin Jefferson

We may see an improved Bears defense in Week 2, but Justin Jefferson is going to be one heck of a stress test for this unit. The four-time All-Pro receiver is averaging 79 yards per game against the Bears in his career, according to StatMuse, and he already put 92 yards and two touchdowns up against the Packers in Week 1.

The Bears must find a way to slow Jefferson down. It's very likely that the Vikings would struggle to keep drives alive if Jefferson is bracketed in coverage, whether it's Kyler Murray at quarterback or Carson Wentz. A couple of early defensive stands, combined with a pair of touchdowns to start the game, could give Chicago enough of a cushion to cruise to another high-scoring win.

4. Bears tackles vs Dallas Turner

Now in his third NFL season, Dallas Turner is becoming a huge problem for the rest of the NFC North. He was a force of nature against the Packers in Week 1, living in their backfield and earning an 86.1 Impact Grade from Pro Football Network. Worse yet, he doesn't even turn 24 until next February.

To be clear, the Bears' offensive line is several miles ahead of the Packers' line. Turner will face much stiffer resistance from the likes of 2025 All-Pro right tackle Darnell Wright and left tackle Braxton Jones. However, those two haven't yet faced a pass rusher of Turner's caliber this season. If they do their jobs and protect Williams from Turner, the Bears' offense should be able to handle the rest.

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