The Chicago Bears’ match with the Minnesota Vikings will be a big one. Aside from the division implications, the Bears have staved off the preseason narrative, and sitting at 2-2, they have not been under .500 this season. Sunday is the biggest test they will face, and perhaps the first time they do get below the .500 mark.
The Vikings may be one of the more talented teams that Chicago has played, and they have a few individual matchups that will make life tough for the Chicago Bears. Who are three players that will see a tough individual matchup?
3. Larry Borom, Chicago Bears RT
Overall Larry Borom has had a stable season. At times he has been beaten, but for the most part, he has taken care of his side, and when the matchup calls for it, he has handled his own. The rain had Nick Bosa stuck in the mud, but it was a clean game from Borom in that respect.
In week two Rashan Gary got the better of him, but he responded well to blocking against Jonathan Greenard. Borom handled himself well against Kayvon Thibodeaux, although he was in his second game, and was limited.
Still, aside from Gary, Borom has had three solid performances. Sunday will be a huge test, though, as Danielle Hunter comes into town. Hunter has been up and down this season, but he has faced some of the best right tackles in the NFL.
He has already played Ryan Ramcyk, Lane Johnson, and Penei Sewell all in a row. Against the Green Bay Packers, he got a backup tackle and he wound up with three pressures and a sack, his best performance of the year.
Hunter has been playing well, but it has not flashed because he is facing elite tackles. Borom has been playing well, but got a good condition game against Bosa, and struggled in his only big test against Gary. Overall this looks like a matchup where Hunter could get right, and we could learn just how good Borom is.
2. Kyler Gordon vs. Justin Jefferson
Life is not going to get easier for Kyler Gordon, who leads the NFL in yards allowed overall, as well as yards allowed from the slot. While he has struggled so far this season, a lot of the names that have beaten him have included Allen Lazard, Darius Slayton, and Chris Moore.
Now, he is going to get one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Justin Jefferson plays 36% of his routes in the slot, which means that they will be matched up. Beyond that, he spends 20% of his snaps on the side that Gordon will play.
If they are not in two wide sets, and Jefferson is outside, then they will be seeing each other a bit. Beyond that, you have to think that the Vikings coaching staff is seeing Chris Moore squirt-free and know that they have to be matching Jefferson up against Gordon on nearly every snap.
This is one of the biggest mismatches in football. Per PFF, Gordon is allowing 2.97 yards per snap in the slot, while Jefferson is producing 2.57 yards per route run in the slot. Every time Jefferson is in the slot it is going to be the biggest test of the young career of Kyler Gordon.
He has not been able to stand up to his challenges yet, so the question is will he be able to hold his own against one of the best.
1. Robert Quinn vs. Dalvin Cook
No one needs to tell you the Chicago Bears run defense is bad. However, it is interesting to note that the defense actually can hold its own up the gut, but they get torched outside the tackles.
It does not help when Aaron Jones and Saquon Barkley are some of the best outside runners in the NFL. but at the same time, when Dalvin Cook is coming into town things will not change. While the Chicago Bears are allowing nearly six yards per carry outside the tackles.
Meanwhile, Dalvin Cook is picking up 5.1 yards per carry outside the tackles. We may not see Justin Jefferson explode because it is too easy to pick up five or six every snap with Cook.
Cook has 61 rushes this season and 42 have gone to the outside. More shocking than that is that 31 of those 42 have gone to the left tackle. That is the worst case for the Chicago Bears.
Robert Quinn may be the worst-run defender on the team. He also lines up exclusively against the left tackle and does not move around. So, half of the runs that Cook has had this season go straight at the Chicago Bears’ worst run defender.
Robert Quinn is going to have his hands full and has to step up or else the Chicago Bears are going to get destroyed on the ground by Dalvin Cook.