Week 6 is upon us, and it’s shaping up to be a good one. The Chicago Bears will host the Minnesotqa Vikings for Sunday afternoon action.
The two teams are surprisingly evenly matched, as Minnesota has fallen well short of the expectation they set following their 13-4 season that included a postseason berth. It’ll be a game of two explosive offenses, with two fittingly bad defenses that will allow the opposing offense to do their work.
Chicago has the chance to create a winning streak, and the Vikings have the opportunity to begin to right a disastrous start to the season. With so much at stake, there are bound to be interesting narratives to keep track of.
Let’s discuss the five biggest storylines ahead of Bears vs. Vikings in Week 6.
1
Can QB Justin Fields and the offense put together a three-game sample size of productive play?
The Bears stumbled into the perfect three-game stretch after a brutal start to the season. The offense finally put some of the pieces in place in a four-touchdown effort in Week 4, and they managed to keep hold of their momentum despite the loss and get their first win of the season in a statement 40-20 victory over Washington. The Bears now have a prime opportunity to prove to the fans that their recent success was not a fluke in divisional showdown against the Vikings in Week 6.
A game against Minnesota isn’t nearly as daunting as it would have been last year, as the purple-and-gold have only tallied one win on the year. Despite having a well-run offense, their defense has failed to stop their opposition in any phase of the game. That vulnerability is something the resurgent Bears offense can take advantage of.
Chicago will need to maintain its newfound vertical passing ability and its well-designed, disorienting run game in order to keep the Vikings at arm’s length. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy will need to continue to trust Fields with the keys to the offense and give him plays that he excels at. Getsy will likely call on the Bears quarterback to have more of a running presence with running backs Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson dealing with injuries. Running back D’onta Foreman will be instrumental in keeping the offense afloat as well (more on him later).
Chicago has accomplished the unthinkable in recent weeks: producing a respectable offense. The trend will need to be established as the standard in Week 6.
2
Can RB D'Onta Foreman shoulder the workload on the ground?
Though the Bears run game isn’t the more glamorous of the two methods of the offense’s attack, it may very well be the most important. Starting running back Khalil Herbert was placed on the injured/reserved list with an ankle injury following last Thursday’s game, and rookie stud Roschon Johnson is still recovering from a concussion he suffered in the same contest. Foreman will be the workhorse after being inactive for the last few games.
Foreman is no stranger to being a lead back for an extended stint; he was Carolina’s starting ballcarrier for most of the 2022 season. Foreman should get the bulk of the carries in Week 6, and he should do an admirable job doing so. The offense will need to turn to Foreman to keep the offense on schedule and ensure the unit doesn’t fall victim to negative plays. He’ll need to churn out tough yardage on the ground, be Fields’ safety net through the air and provide key blocks on blitzing defenders on certain plays.
Foreman’s performance could be a major factor in a Bears win or loss tomorrow.
3
Will the Justin Fields-DJ Moore connection make an appearance?
The one bad thing about having a superstar wide receiver? It only leaves you wanting more after seeing him go off for a career game.
DJ Moore had an all-time great franchise performance last Thursday, carving up the Commanders defense for eight catches, a staggering 230 yards and three touchdowns. His aggressive style of snatching the ball away from defenders and shaking tackles for big gains is intoxicating to watch, and the fans are hoping to get just another swig of his play this Sunday.
Moore will receive more than his fair share of targets; that’s a guarantee. Fields has made it publicly known that key to unlocking the offense is getting the ball in his number one target’s hands. The question is, will he be able to give an encore performance after his dazzling Week 5 game? While Chicago fans wouldn’t dream of getting a second 200-yard day two weeks in a row, it’s in the ballpark that Moore could get well over 100 yards. Minnesota’s pass defense is among the worst in football, and Moore’s tenacity with the pigskin in his possession could allow him to break a few big plays.
It’s an incredibly exciting time to be a Chicago fan, in spite early season struggles. The offense has an identity, the quarterback is flourishing and the team has a true No. 1 pass catcher. Week 6 will be a fun one, no matter what the rest of the season has in store.
4
Can the front four bring down Vikings QB Kirk Cousins?
Now that we’re done raving about the good aspect of the team, let’s begrudgingly step in to the bad. As easy as it is to scoff at the Vikings defense, the Bears’ unit isn’t any better. The defense has been torn apart throughout the entirety of the young season, with their ability to bring down the quarterback being a particular eyesore. The team did a better job in getting to the passer in Week 5, totaling five sacks, but the standard defensive front four will need to continue their forward momentum and finish on plays.
The tale of the last few games hasn’t been that the defensive line can’t get into the backfield; it’s that they can’t physically bring down the quarterback. Signal-callers have routinely slipped out of what were surefire sacks, only to make some ludicrous play that keeps a drive alive. This isn’t an isolated anomaly either; every game sees the same event unfold. The D-line needs to get back to their fundamentals and soundly wrap up the ballcarrier, whether he’s looking to throw the ball or otherwise.
Yannick Ngakoue on the edge and Andrew Billings on the interior have been the two players that have wreaked the most havoc, and they need to continue to lead that charge. Defensive end DeMarcus Walker has also ramped up his play the past couple of weeks, and his progress will need to be on display Sunday. Rookie duo Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens have only gotten better in getting behind the line of scrimmage, and this may finally be the game where they and the rest of the group finally put it all together.
5
Can the secondary do anything to stop the Vikings pass game?
The defensive backfield has easily been the most disappointing aspect of the Bears. The unit touted themselves as the next great NFL defense, and that they would show the rest of the NFL what they’re made of. Instead, they proved to their opponents that they are abysmal in pass coverage, consistently getting beat in zone or in man. While head coach Matt Eberflus certainly shares some of that blame due to his insistence on using an outdated Cover two shell in zone, the talent that adorned the paper has not translated to the gridiron.
If the Vikings had their All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson available for tomorrow’s game, this wouldn’t even be a topic worth discussing. Now that he’s been placed on IR, however, now it’s a conversation with some intrigue. The key will be to disrupt quarterback Kirk Cousins’ connection with tight end T.J. Hockensen and rookie receiver Jordan Addison, who become the biggest threat to Chicago’s defense with absence of Jefferson. The focus of the defensive coaching staff this week should have been teaching their players how to properly defend the duo. Hockensen will need to be shadowed by an athletic linebacker who can match Hockensen’s physical talents, and the safeties will need to make Addison a priority in coverage while cornerback Jaylon Johnson trails him.
The team’s puzzle pieces of slowly fallen into place as the season has gone on. Perhaps another piece on defense will follow suit and click into place.
