The Hidden Factor That Could Give the Bears a Major Edge Over the Vikings

There is one aspect of the Chicago Bears' Week 2 matchup against Minnesota that Ben Johnson and Co. should be able to majorly exploit.

Aug 22, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jake Golday (41) lines up against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Can you imagine being a rookie defender playing your first snaps in the NFL, and they come against a Ben Johnson-led offense? That's the position two or three Minnesota Vikings players could find themselves in on Sunday.

Their second-round selection, LB/DE hybrid Jake Golday, didn't see any snaps in their season opener against Green Bay. Neither did cornerback Charles Demmings, whom they selected in the fifth round. Meanwhile, their third-round pick, safety Jakobe Thomas, was a healthy scratch for the matchup.

All three players came into the season with pretty high expectations of contributing on defense this season. However, they were completely phased out of the gameplan against the Packers. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores provided some insight into why that was the case earlier this week.

“I think every game is a little bit different,” Flores told reporters on Tuesday. “If we’re going to go down, we’re going to go down with our best players. We had plans for [Jake] Golday to get in and Chuck D [Demmings] to get in, but those plans kind of went awry based on how the game went. Those guys are still practicing at a level that we feel would allow them to get in the game and play, but when you’re in the moment it’s kind of like ‘eh’.”

Jun 10, 2025; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores watches practices during minicamp at the Minnesota Vikings Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Not exactly a glowing review from the guy up top (or the guy next to the guy up top in this case, considering head coach Kevin O'Connell has his finger on the pulse of the organization).

You can't exactly argue with the results, though. After struggling throughout much of the first half, their defense completely suffocated the Packers offense late. They spearheaded an unanswered 29-point run that saw them force two takeaways in the span of five plays midway through the fourth quarter. It was a tale of two halves, with the second one featuring an incredible defensive masterclass.

Nevertheless, that was against the Packers' porous offensive line and a quarterback who's shown inconsistencies against the blitz. The Bears don't have either of those. In fact, they have one of the league's premier offensive lines and blitz-killers under center.

Notably, they also have a head coach who knows Flores' tendencies all too well. Dating back to his days in Detroit, Ben Johnson is 5-1 against Flores. They're two of the league's best coaches on their respective sides of the ball.. but Johnson has the clear edge in the win column. He should be able to use some of the Vikings' inexperience against them in their Week 2 clash to better that record, too.

The Vikings' defense is very good.. but it's also RAW

Aug 22, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Caleb Banks (95) lines up against the Baltimore Ravens during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On top of the rookies who could be playing their first career snaps on Sunday, the Vikings also have a pair of rookie defensive tackles in Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange.

The Packers' interior offensive line ensemble of the criminally overpaid Aaron Banks, Sean Rhyan, and "Jacob Monk" weren't able to provide the duo with any "Welcome to the NFL" moments, but Joe Thuney, Garrett Bradbury, and Jonah Jackson should be able to do so. They're fresh off a game where they bullied the Panthers' (supposedly) stout defensive front to the tune of 291 yards on the ground, and they'll be eager to have an encore performance against Minnesota.

To his credit, Orange performed better throughout training camp than most would expect from a third-round selection. He also showed up in the team's Week 1 clash, making a pivotal stop on a Jordan Love 4th-and-1 QB sneak.

However, the same cannot be said for Banks, whom the team selected with the 18th pick in the first round. The 23-year-old is as raw as the come, and that shows in his pad level. He has the physical tools Flores might could eventually tap into, but he's not ready to make a major impact. The Bears should be able to find some running room by targeting him whenever he's on the field on Sunday.

The Vikings have a few players who have seen a lot of action throughout their career, but they also have a few who have seen very little. Johnson might be able to cash in on the latter fact on a rainy Sunday afternoon.