After a much-needed mini-bye week, the Chicago Bears are preparing themselves for a divisional matchup against the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday.
While going up against the purple and gold last year seemed like certain defeat for Chicago, the winds have blown in a drastically different direction this year. Minnesota is one of the worst teams in the league, sharing the dingy basement of the NFC North with the Bears. Though the Kirk Cousins-led offense has functioned like a well-oiled machine, their defense is absolutely horrendous.
The Vikings’ surprising vulnerability makes Week 6 a winnable game. This matchup will feature much debate and speculation as to who will win and what each team’s strengths and weaknesses are, but Chicago has a storied history with the Minnesota.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of Bears vs. Vikings in Week 6.
1
A battle of 1-4 teams
The Bears and Vikings come into Sunday’s matchup with just one win apiece through the first five weeks. Chicago is coming off their first win of the season — a 40-20 victory over the Commanders on Thursday Night Football. Minnesota lost a heartbreaker to the Chiefs, 27-20. Both teams notably have struggled in one-score games, which could make this game interesting in the fourth quarter.
2
The game will be the 124th all-time meeting between the two teams
Chicago has had many encounters with their divisional foe over the years, and Sunday’s game will mark the 124th time the Bears will face off with the Vikings. The bitter rivalry was born in 1961 and Minnesota has the slight edge over Chicago in the series, having an all-time record of 65-56-2. The Vikings are at a disadvantage when playing in Chicago, as the Bears have a 65-56-2 record when playing at home.
3
The series has gone 23-23 dating back to 2000
Neither team has been able to pull away with the all-time record, so it stands to reason that the clubs would be evenly matched after the turn of the century. The Bears and Vikings are deadlocked at 23-23 after the year 2000, which means there’s a high likelihood that Week 6 will see one of them pull ahead in the category. Chicago has been able to consistently defend their home turf of Soldier Field in that span, winning 16 of 23 games in the new millennium.
4
The Vikings beat the Bears in their last meeting
Chicago has been successful more often than not when playing in their home stadium against Minnesota, but the Vikings were able to steal a win at Soldier Field last year. The playoff-bound Vikings beat the downtrodden Bears, 29-13, in the last game of the season, with both squads calling on their backups to get playing time in a contest that was ultimately inconsequential. Quarterback Nathan Peterman led Chicago in passing, throwing a touchdown pass to tight end Cole Kmet. Wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. had a rare flash of brilliance in the game, racing down the right sideline for 42 yards and a score.
5
Bears are getting key players back from injury
The Bears will be receiving a much-needed boost to the secondary, as talented second-year cornerback Kyler Gordon has been designated to return from IR. While Gordon has yet to be elevated from IR to the active roster, veteran Jaylon Johnson made it publicly known that he is healthy after his injury and will be active against the Vikings on Sunday. Safety Eddie Jackson, who’s missed the last three games with a foot injury, is also on track to return.
Backup center Doug Kramer is also eligible to be activated from IR and the team signed running back Darryton Evans from the Dolphins practice squad, bolstering two positions that have been hampered by injuries.
On the flip side, Chicago is also battling some injuries after Thursday’s win over the Commanders. Running backs Khalil Herbert (ankle), Roschon Johnson (concussion) and Travis Homer (hamstring) are sidelined, along with center Lucas Patrick (concussion) and receiver Equanimeous St. Brown (hamstring).
6
The Vikings will be without star receiver Justin Jefferson
Chicago’s divisional rival isn’t doing nearly as well in the health department. The Vikings made the decision to place All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson on injured reserve, as he battles a hamstring injury, keeping him out for at least four weeks. The loss of Minnesota’s superstar player only further sinks an already bottom-feeding 1-4 squad, and recent speculation on a possible midseason fire sale doesn’t help their prospects of turning things around.
7
Justin Fields' recent success
After a rough start to the season, Fields appears to have turned a corner for the Bears. Fields has shown impressive improvement in the passing game against the Broncos and Commanders, completing 67 percent of his passes for 617 yards with eight touchdowns and one interception. He also has a perfect passer rating when targeting top receiver DJ Moore, who is coming off a career 230-yard, three-touchdown game against the Commanders. Fields is tied for the second-most touchdown passes (11) among quarterbacks through the first five games. All eyes will be on Fields to see if he can continue that success against this Vikings defense.
