Fields hit the COVID reserve list on January 6th, and will not start for the Bears against the Vikings. Andy Dalton will get his second straight start for the Bears instead.
A finale for pride
There are no playoff implications in the Bears and Vikings Week 18 matchup, but neither should either team be willing to lose. This is a game for rivalry’s sake, and to build momentum in the future. The Bears have won two straight, and have a chance to finish strong.
Few would expect coach Matt Nagy to be back next season either, so he is coaching for pride as well. It has been evident throughout this final stretch of games that the players are still playing at 100%, so I would expect nothing less if their coach is on his way out. And in a rivalry matchup, it always feels good to win on the road, so that’s what the Bears will attempt to do.
The Bears’ keys to victory
The Bears looked dominant last week against the Giants, but they need to remember that the Giants are a very bad football team right now. They will have a much tougher task against the Vikings, who have been a fringe playoff team all season. In my opinion, the Bears need to adhere to the following advice to win on Sunday:
- Get the Vikings to 3rd and long. The Vikings have struggled to avoid 3rd and long, and this can spell disaster for any NFL offense. If the Bears can limit production on 1st and 2nd down, they can exploit the inconsistent pass protection of the Vikings. Robert Quinn will be looking to finish the season strong, and add to his new franchise-record single-season sack total.
- Don’t forget about David. Too many times this season the Bears have forgotten about the might of Montgomery. He is such a consistent runner, there is never a reason to cut him out of the game plan. He should be given the ball on every drive, and they should not abandon the run if it stalls here and there. Montgomery can wear down a defense, and help sustain drives.
- Stay aggressive and creative. On the second drive last week, Andy Dalton hit Darnell Mooney for a touchdown on 4th & 2. There is no reason for field goals again this week; go for it on fourth down (unless of course, it is 4th & 20 from their own 10). For creativity’s sake, continue to involve Mooney in various ways, and experiment with the playbook. There is no reason to be conservative and predictable in this game.
Robert Quinn sack record update
I have included in a number of my Bears’ articles references to Robert Quinn because frankly, he deserves it. He set the franchise record for sacks in a single season last week, and he has been a consistent bright spot throughout a relatively dim season. While the franchise sack record is his, he is still 4.5 sacks away from Strahan’s NFL record.
I am not going to be so bold as to say that Robert Quinn will sack Kirk Cousins 4.5 times this Sunday, but that would be epic. Further, T.J. Watt is only 1 sack behind Strahan, so even if Quinn pulled off a miracle, he still may be behind the Steelers’ talisman. But since he has had such an amazing season, I feel it necessary to at least write about the possibility. I do expect a big game from him in Minneapolis. He will want to finish the season strong to add to the lasting impression his accomplishments will have for Chicago fans, and he isn’t exactly going up against the league’s best offensive line. If the Bears’ D can get the Vikings to 3rd & long situations, Quinn has a chance to put up some numbers.
Final thoughts
I am bummed that we won’t get to see Justin Fields on Sunday. I really do think it would have been important to get more reps under his belt heading into the off-season, and I just think he brings a certain level of excitement for what Bears’ fans can look forward to in the future. Nonetheless, it will still be a hard-fought game between two divisional rivals.
I’m not sure who to pick as the winner for my prediction, because I honestly think it will come down to the team that wants it the most. And in general, I’m glad that the Bears aren’t worried about draft positioning. Their picks may get altered a bit after this week’s outcomes, but without a first-round pick, the draft order just isn’t quite as exciting.
Here’s to watching some good football one more time in Week 18; maybe you’ll hear from me with certain coaching news next week? Who knows? Have a happy end to the regular season!
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