While plenty of attention will be paid to the Chicago Cubs on Monday night, the Chicago Bears will be looking to make a statement when they take on the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field.
The Bears, who have started the season 1-3, will have a new quarterback under center, and they’ll have a chance to right the ship a bit after a disappointing performance against the Green Bay Packers nearly two weeks ago.
So how can they win the game and prove that there’s still hope yet for this season? Here are our three keys to victory for the Bears on Monday night.
Tailor a Game Plan to Trubisky’s Skills
During the preseason, the Bears used Mitchell Trubisky to perfection, rolling him out of the pocket constantly and using his athleticism to move the ball downfield quickly.
While the offense under Mike Glennon was often staid and conservative, offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains needs to open up the taps on the offense with Trubisky under center. He’s going to make mistakes and miss coverage schemes, but it’s all a part of the learning process, and letting him loose is going to pay dividends for him in the long run if the Bears can fully commit to it.
Strong Secondary Play
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The Bears’ secondary has yet to register an interception this season, and they’re going up against a tough group of Minnesota receivers, including Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs.
To counter that, the Bears’ secondary has got to show more of what it was able to display against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3. Marcus Cooper Sr. made some outstanding plays on the ball in Week 3, and other players like Eddie Jackson and Prince Amukamara will also be tasked with helping to keep Sam Bradford and the Vikings at bay.
Good Communication on Both Sides of the Ball
Good communications seems like kind of a “duh” key, but it’s going to be critical for the Bears in this game, given the personnel changes that they’ve been forced to make.
Trubisky is going to have to be adept at calling out plays and audibles in his first run as the team’s starter, but more importantly, John Timu is going to have to be a good communicator on defense. He’ll have the headset in his helmet as the Bears will be without Danny Trevathan for the game, and he’ll be tasked with figuring out where to align the defense against a well-rounded Minnesota squad.
