KEY MATCHUP
In two games against the Vikings last season, Bears nose tackle Eddie Goldman was shut out of the stat in the victory at Soldier Field and had a sack and two quarterback hits in the victory at U.S. Bank Stadium. No matter what his numbers are, Goldman plays a huge role in the Bears’ standout run defense, which will be the key factor against Dalvin Cook, who leads the NFL in rushing with 125 yards per game.
Goldman will be matched up against Vikings rookie center Garrett Bradbury, a first-round draft pick (18th overall) from North Carolina State. The Vikings already will be without guard Josh Kline (concussion), so Bradbury has a difficult job ahead of him.
TRENDING
Cook leads the NFL in rushing with 375 yards, 6.6 yards per carry and four touchdowns. He has yet to be stopped this season, with 100-yard games against the Falcons (21-111, two touchdowns), Packers (20-154, a 75-yard touchdown) and Raiders (16-110, one touchdown).
The Bears have one of the best run defenses in the NFL — they are allowing 68.7 yards per game (fifth in the NFL) and 3.1 yards per carry (fourth).
The Bears allowed two 100-yard rushers last year — the Dolphins’ 35-year-old Frank Gore (15-101, no touchdown) and the Giants’ 21-year-old Saquon Barkley (24-125, no touchdowns) — both Bears losses. But they often rise to the occasion. Last year, the Rams’ Todd Gurley came in as the leading rusher in the NFL with 1,575 yards and 15 touchdowns. The Bears held him to 28 yards on 11 carries in a 15-9 victory.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has been an enigma throughout his NFL career, and especially since signing with the Vikings in 2018. He has been prolific (425 yards, three touchdowns vs. the Packers; 422 yards, three touchdowns vs. the Rams), but also prone to untimely errors and subpar performances in big games.
Against the Bears last year, Cousins had two of his three lowest passer ratings — 79.4 in a 25-20 loss at Soldier Field (132 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions); and 76.5 in a 24-10 loss at U.S. Bank Stadium (262 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions).
X-FACTOR
Bears Pro Bowl defensive end Akiem Hicks has started 52 consecutive games since signing as a free agent in 2016, but is questionable with a knee injury he suffered against the Redskins.
Hicks was a particular force against the Vikings last season, with five tackles-for-loss at Soldier Field and 1.5 sacks at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Bears have depth on the defensive line, but nobody who can replace Hicks. And if he does play, it remains to be seen how effective he’ll be — and how long he’ll last.
