After a tough loss to the New York Giants, the Chicago Bears (2-2) are heading to Minnesota to take on the NFC Division-leading Vikings (3-1) in Week 5.
The Vikings will provide the toughest challenge for the Bears’ secondary this week. Minnesota runs a pass-heavy offense and will throw the ball often on Sunday.
On offense, the passing issues for the Bears continue to linger, and fans are questioning the speed of Justin Fields’ development. In addition, Chicago struggled to continue their dominance on the ground without David Montgomery (ankle) and will likely be without him in Minnesota.
As the Bears travel north to take on the Vikings, here are three concerning issues.
1
Chicago's inability to convert on third down
Chicago converts third downs just 34% of the time, good enough for seventh worst in the NFL. The passing game has been under fire by the media and fans, but the Bears’ offense needs strategic help.
The Bears fail to convert on third down because they’re playing “behind the sticks.” Chicago’s offense, on average, has 7.6 yards to go on third down. So, on first and second down, the Bears typically gain 2.4 yards (not great!), putting themselves at a disadvantage.
The Bears also have one of the lowest times of possessions per drive in the NFL, with 2:29 minutes. Again, this is because the offense fails to gain yards early and sustain drives. Chicago needs to improve dramatically on offense, pick up first downs, and put pressure on opposing defenses.
2
Justin Fields' refusal to throw the ball
Justin Fields is one of the league leaders in time to throw at 3.1 seconds per dropback, but he’s also one of the most sacked quarterbacks in the league. Part of his high sack total is because he refuses to throw the ball into tight coverage.
When looking at the NFL Next Gen Stats that measure the percentage of aggressive throws a quarterback makes (throws to a receiver with a defender within one yard or less), he ranks last at 4%. By comparison, the other quarterbacks in the NFC North attempt these same passes 14% of the time.
Neither the Bears’ offensive line nor wide receivers are elite, but Fields needs to pull the trigger. If he doesn’t start taking risks and throwing into tighter windows, Chicago’s offense will continue to be one of the worst in the NFL.
3
Bears defense vs. Vikings WRs
The Vikings’ offense is the best passing offense the Bears have faced this season. Minnesota is a pass-heavy offense that is sixth in attempts this season. Chicago will likely get a break on run defense, but Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins will test the Bears’ secondary.
All-star cornerback Jaylon Johnson did not practice on Wednesday and is at risk of missing his third-straight game this year. The Bears could be forced to rely on struggling rookie cornerback Kyler Gordon and third-year corner Kindle Vildor to cover All-Pro wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen.
Another thing to look for is missed tackles from the Bears. The Minnesota offense focuses on short passes to wide receivers in space, allowing them to gain yards after the catch. Chicago is sixth in missed tackles this season. We will find out if the Bears are better tacklers in space vs. the pass than the run.
