3 key stats to watch for the Bears to even the score against the Vikings

Will Brian Flores and the Vikings come after Caleb Williams heavily on Sunday? Their first matchup suggests...maybe not.

Sep 8, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) rushes the ball past Minnesota Vikings safety Theo Jackson (26) during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Time for the Chicago Bears to exact some revenge.

Their Week 1 loss to the Minnesota Vikings is probably the biggest gut punch of the season to this point—a game the Bears should have run away with and ended up giving away instead. On paper, the Bears should be able to handle JJ McCarthy and the Vikings, but last week's struggles against Jaxson Dart and the New York Giants suggest nothing is a given. Besides, it's a division game: throw all your expectations for how you think this will go out the window.

So how do the Bears avoid a repeat performance of that Week 1 loss on the road?

Here are a few key stats the Bears and their fans should pay attention to.

42.2%

That’s the Vikings' league-leading blitz rate, according to Pro Football Reference. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has never been shy about bringing pressure, and his ability to switch up the looks he sends heat from makes things especially challenging. Oddly enough, though, the Vikings blitzed Williams at a far lower rate in Week 1. Was it concern about the Bears’ personnel or Ben Johnson’s offense? Was it about wanting Williams to hold the ball longer? Flores’ approach will be fascinating in this second-round matchup.

25%

That was both teams’s third-down conversion percentage in Week 1. Obviously, that’s not going to cut it if you’re the Bears. On the whole, Chicago’s been pretty good on third downs this season, ranking 10th in conversion rate for the year (41.38%), while the Vikings have actually been…about that bad all season (31.82%). Now here’s an exciting stat: the Bears are converting third downs significantly better on the road (46.27%) than at home (34.69%) this season. Here’s hoping they stay locked in.

60%

That’s was Caleb Williams’s completion percentage the first time these teams met this year. His 60.8% mark for the season is less than ideal, given Johnson’s preseason goal of 70% completions for him, and too many opportunities hit the ground in the form of uncatchable throws back in Week 1. Five of his nine games have featured completion percentages under 60%, including his last two. (To be fair, he didn’t drop six passes against the Giants.) One way to beat an aggressive defense: get the ball out to your playmakers, and let them cook. If Williams does that effectively against the Vikings, the Bears will win this game.

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