Analysis and key stats on Sunday’s matchup at Soldier Field for Week 6 between the Bears and Vikings at Soldier Field.
Having just snapped a 14-game losing streak, the Bears now take aim at a 10-game NFC North losing streak and nine-game home-field losing streak as they host the Minnesota Vikings, who are without wide receiver Justin Jefferson, their top threat, due to a hamstring injury. Jefferson was placed on IR this week.
Special Day: It’s a day to honor Dick Butkus and the Bears will wear No. 51 patches on their jerseys the rest of the year. The in-stadium experience will be filled with several Butkus memorials and big screen highlights.
The Series: The 125th meeting overall in the series. Minnesota 65-57-2, including a Bears playoff win after the 1994 season. Minnesota has won the last four in the series, longest winning streak in the series since 2018-19 when the Bears won four straight. No one has won more than four straight since the Bears ran off six straight from 2009-12.
The Coaches: Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell is 14-8 in his second season, including 2-0 against the Bears. Matt Eberflus is 4-18 in his second season and 0-2 against the Vikings.
Last Week: The Vikings lost 27-20 at home to Kansas City despite QB Kirk Cousins going 29 of 47 for 284 yards with TD passes to Jordan Addison and Alexander Mattison. The Bears won in Week 5 on Thursday Night Football, 40-20, over Washington after the announcement that all-time Bears great linebacker Dick Butkus had died. Justin Fields completed 15 of 29 for 282 yards with three TDs to Moore, and another TD to Cole Kmet. It was the second straight four-TD effort by Fields.
Team Leaders: For Minnesota, QB Kirk Cousins is 137 of 204 (67.2%) for 1,498 yards and 13 TDs with four INTs and a passer rating of 101.7. Cousins leads the NFL in TD passes. His top target is Jefferson, but this week it will be TE T.J. Hockenson, who has 30 receptions for 254 yards with two TDs. Rookie WR Jordan Addison is tied with Jefferson for the team TD catch lead with three and has 19 catches for 249 yards. RB Alexander Mattison leads the Vikings in rushing yards with 276 on 64 carries (4.3 yards a carry) and leads in rushing TDs with 10. DE Danielle Hunter leads the Vikings with six sacks, tied for second in the NFL behind T.J. Watt (8). LB Camryn Bynum leads Minnesota in tackles with 51 while Hunter leads in tackles for loss with nine.
For the Bears, QB Justin Fields is 94 of 152 (61.8%) for 1,143 yards with 11 TDs and five INTs. His TD percentage of 7.2% leads the NFL. Fields has a passer rating of 95.4. He has run for 191 yards on 39 carries and is the leading ball carrier for the Bears in this game with Khalil Herbert out due to an ankle injury. DJ Moore leads the Bears in receptions with 27 for a team-high 531 yards and team-high five TDs. Weakside LB T.J. Edwards leads the Bears in tackles with 62 while DE DeMarcus Walker leads in tackles for loss with five. Greg Stroman Jr., Jack Sanborn and Quindell Johnson have the Bears interceptions.
