Bear Digest

Bears Who Are Positioned to Give Vikings the Most Problems

The way Minnesota plays defense leaves them susceptible to certain types of plays and their high-flying passing game could also find trouble against one of the NFL's best pass defenses.

Gene Chamberlain

Cole Kmet always seems to be at the center of attention for the Bears against the Vikings defense.
Cole Kmet always seems to be at the center of attention for the Bears against the Vikings defense. / Quinn Harris-Imagn Images
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Bears offensive coordinator Thomas Brown set a good tone for the task facing his side of the ball this week, if not the entire roster.

"Football's a violent game and it rewards those who play the game violently," Brown said.

Finesse football is not going to beat a blitzing defense like the Minnesota Vikings use, and it's not going to stand up to their big-play offense.

What's required is physical blocking and physical play on the defensive side, starting with run defense against Aaron Jones.

"They do a really good job of running the football to set up their play-action game," Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington said. "So, we're going to have to make sure we're on top of our keys, that we find a way to make this offense one-dimensional. We cannot afford to let this offense have efficiency with their rushing attack, to set up play-action and to execute in that realm and then and also be in manageable third down situations."

The Bears can be a physical team on both sides of the ball. Here are the Bears who can make the biggest difference against the Vikings.

1. QB Caleb Williams

Everything the Bears do offensively will probably need to be the result of the quarterback and not their running game. D'Andre Swift's groin injury isn't the issue as much as it is the Vikings defense never lets teams outside in the running game. Teams can't run outside where Swift is at his best when the Vikings are loading up with all manner of blitzes because there's no time to get linemen pulling out front as defenders come upfield in gaps. And Swift isn't a tough inside runner. In that respect, Roschon Johnson might have a better chance to gain yardage on the ground against the Vikings. However, when teams get it blocked, they're able to do some things in the passing game. If they can make the quick timing throws and the hot reads available, Williams could burn Minnesota this way. It's really the only chance the Bears could have of hitting the Vikings with the passing game.

2. WR Rome Odunze

Not only has Odunze's connection with Williams as fellow rookies been solidified in recent games, but Minnesota is particularly vulnerable on the side of the field Odunze most often lines up. Odunze would often be lined up against Stephon Gilmore in passing situations and he ranks 98th out of 112 cornerbacks defending the pass, according to Pro Football Focus. The stat is certified by the directional percentages from NFLGSIS.com. The Vikings are a strong team against the pass but on that side of the field, the offense's right side, they give up 48% completions on the deep ball, which ranks 28th in the league. They are 29th in the league in yards allowed per catch to that side of the field (14.7).

3. DT Gervon Dexter

Dexter's play leveled off about the time of the Bears bye and he needs to step it up against the run and pass. Dexter has dropped to 10% in pass rush win rate, 20th in the league after he had been in the top 10 earlier. Losing sidekick Andrew Billings for the year didn't help him. In this game he'll have a chance to make an impact because the guards on either side for Minnesota are the least impactful blockers according to PFF grades, and he'll switch sides based on the strong side of the formation. Left guard Blake Brandel is 48th among 77 guards with posted grades and right guard Ed Ingram is 68th. With pressure from Dexter, the Bears can cause Sam Darnold problems without blitzing and that's the best and maybe only way to disrupt the Vikings offense.

4. LB T.J. Edwards

The lack of highly graded run blockers in Minnesota's offensive line besides center Garrett Bradbury and tackle Brian O'Neill says running back Aaron Jones can be trapped behind the line. Edwards had a high point in the opener with 15 tackles but did reach 12 against New England and had a tackle for loss among his six last week. Weakside linebacker is always key in this scheme with the 3-technique at stopping the run and the screen game.

5. TE Cole Kmet

Kmet's height makes him a perfect hot option against the blitz and he also can be a target against the blitz in the screen game coming out of the backfield after setting up to block. Last year he caught nine passes in two games. They weren't the downfield gainers like he had last week with 14 yards a catch, but they were important receptions to advance the chains. He also is often the target on bootleg passes and those are plays the Bears can use if sniff out a blitz coming. Height is an advantage in the red zone or vs. the blitz because Williams doesn't need to be as exact, he can just throw it up higher. It might explain why they've added 6-6 wide receiver Collin Johnson to the roster this week, too, but so could Johnson's ability as a blocker in the screen game.

6. P Tory Taylor

If ever the Bears needed a boost in terms of field position, it will be in this game. Facing an explosive passing attack with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison at receiver, they need to bottle up Minnesota and make Darnold drive as much of the field as they can. He's been a mistake-prone QB of late and forcing long drives on him means he could make a key mistake. Taylor is eighth in the league putting footballs inside the 20.

7. CB Jaylon Johnson

Johnson is going to get Justin Jefferson all over the field. He's been up to about any challenge all year but has a particularly disgusting taste in his mouth from last week, when his feet got tangled with Christian Watson, he fell and then Watson made a diving catch, got up and ran 60 yards to set up the winning points. Johnson hasn't really faced Jefferson since becoming a dominant type of cornerback. He was still in the promising stage in their last game of 2021 before coming on strong in this scheme.

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8. WR Keenan Allen

Sure, he has an injury now, but he always seems to have one. Allen isn't necessarily in a good matchup situation this week but what he does have is a little history at beating the Brian Flores defense. Last year he had 18 catches for 215 yards against them at Minnesota. In two other games he had eight catches for 87 yards and a TD against Flores' Miami defense.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.