"Staying On Schedule" Crucial For Vikings Against Bears Defense

The Vikings have seen this Bears defense before. They know they're going up against an elite front seven led by maybe the most feared pass-rusher in the NFL. Even with a different defensive coordinator running things in Chicago, nothing the Bears do will come as a surprise.

That doesn't make the task at hand any less daunting.

This weekend, a Vikings offense with much to prove away from its home stadium will head to a place that has been a house of horrors for the franchise this century. To get to 3-1 and pick up a massive divisional road victory, the Vikings will have to find a way to win at Soldier Field, where they are 2-8 in their last 10 games and 4-15 since 2000.

They'll be tasked with scoring points and avoiding turnovers against a defense that led the league in each of those categories a season ago. Even with Chuck Pagano running the defense instead of Vic Fangio, the unit doesn't seem to have lost a step in 2019.

"We have our work cut out for us," said Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski. "I think we're up for the challenge."

The Vikings will be hoping things go differently on offense than they did the last time they traveled to Chicago. In the November 2018 meeting between these two teams, the Vikings didn't score a point for nearly 45 minutes of game time. They didn't cross the goal line until scoring two mostly meaningless touchdowns in the game's final five minutes.

Kirk Cousins threw two picks in that game and was sacked twice. Perhaps more tellingly, he attempted 46 passes and Dalvin Cook ran the ball just nine times for 12 yards. For the Vikings to have a chance at succeeding on offense, they'll need to stick with what's been working for them in 2019: running the football. That won't be easy against a loaded defense that hasn't allowed a 100-rusher since 2017.

“Our mentality is that we’re going to be physical," said fullback CJ Ham. "Whether that’s running or passing, we’re just going to be a physical team, and we’re going to go out there and try to establish dominance.”

A potential game-changer is the health of Bears defensive tackle Akiem Hicks, one of the best all-around interior menaces in football. Hicks is apparently a game-time decision with a knee injury.

Regardless of Hicks' status, the Vikings know that a crucial factor towards having success on offense will be avoiding falling behind the chains. If they get in first and long, second and long, and especially third and long situations, making up ground will be incredibly difficult. Those are the situations in which the Bears can turn Khalil Mack and Leonard Floyd loose.

"One thing we’ve preached all week is we gotta control their rushers," Kyle Rudolph said. "Seems like we have most of our trouble when we’re getting into first and 20s, 2nd and 20s, and then third and long. As long as we stay on schedule as an offense, I like our chances.”

Mack has to be the primary concern for the offense on every single play. His borderline unstoppable pass-rushing ability and penchant for strip-sacks make him the ultimate threat for a quarterback with a history of fumbles.

"He plays with violence, he plays with explosion," Mike Zimmer said. "He’s got long arms and is able to get to the spot on the quarterback where he can cause (fumbles)."

Slowing Mack down will require chips from tight ends and running backs. A good antidote for his brilliance is an effective run game mixed with short passes that get the ball out of Cousins' hands quickly and allow the Vikings' playmakers to get into space.

Cook, now completely healthy, is an entirely different player this year than he was last season, but he'll have a hard time extending his streak of 100-yard rushing games. Expect the Vikings to try to get the ball in his hands by using him as a receiver out of the backfield. The Bears just gave up several big gains to Redskins running back Chris Thompson in that fashion.

For Kirk Cousins, this is an opportunity to make a statement. Leave Chicago with a victory and he'll be worth every penny, at least for one week. Come up short again and the narratives that have dominated his Vikings career will persist.

For the Vikings offense as a whole, it may all come down to staying in manageable down and distances and taking care of the football.

Easier said than done.

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