Bears vs. Vikings — What to Watch 4

The Bears have yet to feel the absence of top cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who missed the last two games against the Texans and Giants with a quadriceps injury. But neither of those teams have the firepower of the Vikings’ Justin Jefferson, one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.

Jefferson has 28 receptions for 393 yards (14.2 average) and two touchdowns this season, with two 100-yard games — nine receptions for 184 yards and two touchdowns against the Packers and 10 receptions for 147 yards against the Saints, including a clutch 39-yard play with 1:24 left that led to the winning field goal.

Johnson isn’t expected to play after not practicing all week, so defending Jefferson will be the biggest test yet for the cornerback lineup of rookie Kyler Gordon, Kindle Vildor and Jaylon Jones.

It’s a formidable task but not an impossible one. Last year, the Bears faced Jefferson at Soldier Field without their entire starting secondary. But against fill-in cornerbacks Vildor, Thomas Graham and Marquis Christian, Jefferson was held to four catches for 47 yards and a touchdown in a 17-9 Bears victory. With Johnson back in the season finale, Jefferson had five receptions for 107 yards and a 45-yard touchdown in a 31-17 Vikings win at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Trending

The Bears are last in rushing defense (183.3 yards per game) after allowing 262 yards against the Giants last week. That’s a continuation of a drop from first in 2018 to ninth, 15th and 23rd the last three seasons.

The Vikings’ Dalvin Cook has been one of the best running backs in the NFL the last three seasons (93.9 yards per game, with long runs of 75, 70 and 66 yards). He’s off to a relatively slow start: 63-279, one touchdown and a long run of 16 yards. But he’s always a threat to break a long one.

Player to watch

Bears quarterback Justin Fields made baby steps of progress against the Giants last week with completions of 56 and 18 yards to Darnell Mooney and a 23-yard pass to tight end Trevon Wesco.

The Vikings have allowed 263.5 passing yards per game — seventh most in the NFL through four games, including 333 against the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, 277 against the Lions’ Jared Goff and 236 against the Saints’ Andy Dalton (Andy Dalton!).

X-factor

The Vikings will be playing a week after traveling to London, where they beat the Saints 28-25. The NFL offers teams a bye week to recover, and most take it. But with it being so early, the Vikings declined and instead will have their bye in Week 7.

The Bears are coming off their first real disappointment under coach Matt Eberflus — a loss to a short-handed, beatable Giants team. How they respond in an NFC North road game could be an indicator of how much of a rebuilding season this actually is.