Bear Digest

Vikings Who Pose the Biggest Problems for Bears

The Bears defense could face Justin Jefferson over a full game for the first time since early in 2022, as well as the refurbished Sam Darnold Sunday at Soldier Field.

Gene Chamberlain

Sam Darnold is enjoying his best season in the NFL and it's no surprise considering the coaching help he is getting.
Sam Darnold is enjoying his best season in the NFL and it's no surprise considering the coaching help he is getting. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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It's been a long time in football terms since the Bears needed to compete against Justin Jefferson in a game.

Matt Eberflus’ defense has only faced the unquestioned top receiver in football once in a truly competitive fashion, in 2022, but did play against the Vikings receiver twice that year. The Vikings were using substitutes in the second game, a season ender, and had Jefferson start but pulled him very early with other starters with the playoffs looming. Last year he missed both Bears games due to injuries.

No doubt the Bears defense will attach Jaylon Johnson to Jefferson all over the field, as they have done with most top receivers. It usually helps to limit production but last week the big catch of the game came against Johnson after his feet tangled up with Christian Watson. Both went to the ground on the play, Watson when he caught the pass after his feet tangled with Johnson, but then he found he was able to get up and run for a 60-yard gain.

The Vikings’ 8-2 record shows they have plenty of other players to worry the Bears, and the biggest problem is probably facing their own offense with the blitzing, top-ranked defense of Brian Flores.

Here are the biggest threats the Bears have to face when they host the Vikings Sunday at noon, hoping to avoid five consecutive defeats.

1.WR Justin Jefferson

If the Bears could hold Jefferson to the same production he had against Jacksonville’s struggling defense, then they’d be very pleased. He had only 48 yards on five catches in the game, a 12-7 Minnesota victory on the road.  Jefferson’s ability to catch and run and also get open were best on display in back-to-back 100-yard efforts against the Rams and colts . He has had three 100-yard games this season. While Jefferson’s average yards per game is down to 91.2, the lowest since his 87.5 as a rookie, it’s partly because the Vikings have a few other strong weapons to target and not struggles on his part. He’ll go over 1,000 yards for the fifth straight time in a five-year career with an 88-yard day against Johnson and the Bears secondary.

2. QB Sam Darnold

Perhaps it’s former Rams assistants who, have the ability to revive careers of veteran journeymen because Kevin O’Connell has done for Darnold what Shane Waldron did in Seattle with Geno Smith. Darnold never had a year with more than 61.9% completions and now is at 67.9%. He never had a passer rating above 92.6 and in his first six years five were at 85.1 or worse, but he’s at 100.0. He already reached a career high in touchdown throws with 19 but has been picked off 10 times for a 3.4% rate, not exactly the number QBs strive to achieve. Although very mobile, Darnold has had to run only for 166 yards so far because of all the weapons he has. Darnold’s numbers might be even better with more sure-handed receivers. Last week alone the Vikings dropped five passes. With the targets, the blocking, offense he’s in and the coaching, it’s safe to expect a severe challenge for the Bears secondary from the Vikings QB.

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RT Brian O’Neill

The Vikings lost Christian Darrisaw to injury, went out and plugged in Cam Robinson. On the other side they’ve had O’Neill, the former Pro Bowl tackle who might be having his best year. His 83.8 Pro Football Focus grade for the year is the second best for any player on the team except Jefferson. The 6-foot-7, 310-pounder has allowed one sack and committed three penalties, and PFF says he has given up nine pressures without a QB hit allowed. He has been virtually as effective blocking the run or pass by PFF standards.

WR Jordan Addison

The main reason Jefferson hasn’t had quite as much work as in the past is the deep threat the Vikings have on the other side, who sharpened his skills last year for 10 TDs when the top Vikings receiver missed seven games. Addison carries a 98.5 passer rating when targeted this season. His catch percentage is down at 58.5% (24 of 41 targets). If paired up against Tyrique Stevenson or Terell Smith, he’ll have a size disadvantage but the speed to make up for it. For the Bears, it's not a good week to be shorthanded at safety when you're facing Jefferson and Addison.

RB Aaron Jones

Probably as big a difference maker in the Vikings offense as Darnold has been over the group QB effort the Vikings used to replace Kirk Cousins last year. Jones will be 30 in a few weeks but isn’t slowing down yet and could wind up with his best season since he had a career-best 1,104 yards for Green Bay in 2020. He’s still catching passes, which was a way he always hurt the Bears defenses with the Packers, and is averaging 9.0 yards per reception.

TE T. J. Hockenson

Normally Hockenson has been a big problem for the Bears, whether he was in Detroit or with the Vikings. However, he’s coming off a torn right ACL and MCL and is returning at his own pace, with just 16 targets so far. He returned to the field for the first time in Week 8 and in Week 9 had eight catches for 72 yards against the Jaguars.

Edge Andrew Van Ginkel

It’s not just the blitzing scheme of Flores giving offenses problems. It’s having a player who knows that scheme well that helps. The 6-4, 242-pound Van Ginkel played for the Dolphins in Flores’ defense and has quickly brought their defense effective all-around play with eight sacks, two interception returns for touchdowns and 13 tackles for loss. He leads a Vikings defense that is the only one in the NFL with three players who have at least seven sacks.

Edge Jonathan Greenard

The 6-3, 255-pound former Texans edge rusher has fit in perfectly and had a three-sack game against his old team earlier this season. Greenard has seven sacks, nine tackles for loss and 13 quarterback hits.  He ranks third in overall pressures in the NFL according to  PFF.

LB Ivan Pace Jr.

An all-purpose threat, Pace has three sacks to go with his team-high total of 59 tackles and is proving it’s possible for a 5-foot-10 linebacker to work out in the NFL if used properly.  

S Camryn Bynum

In his fourth year, Bynum is finding it’s more fun to go after the football than be constantly making tackles. He had to make 137 tackles last year but this year already has a career-high three interceptions to lead the team. He’s cleaning up when the pass rush puts QBs under duress.  

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.