The Bears at Vikings: One Stat, Quote, and Matchup to Know Ahead of Week 12
K. Joudry
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When the Chicago Bears roll into town for a Monday Night Football slugfest, the Minnesota Vikings will stare down a chance to climb up to 3-0 in the NFC North. And, more importantly, a 7-5 record that will keep Minnesota in a comfortable position in the NFC playoff race.
Giving fans a better understanding of what’s to come for the Bears at Vikings involves PurplePTSD offering up a single statistic, quotation, and matchup to keep in mind. The hope, valued reader, is that the information contained in this piece can function as a bit of a primer for what’s to come in the Monday night matchup.
The Bears at Vikings: Week 12
Stat: 899, 15.1, 6, and 368
D.J. Moore is a legitimate WR1 in the NFL. No need to massage the statement or to insert any qualifiers. The dude is a stud, so Chicago should feel good about him sticking around as the top pass catcher for years to come. At 26, he has the potential to be very good for a little while.
The former Panther is sitting on 889 yards for the season, coming in at 8th overall the NFL. His 15.1 yards-per-reception average is sitting at 22nd in the NFL and his 6 touchdowns are in a tie for 8th. A total of 368 yards have arrived after the catch, so Minnesota will need to do a good job of tackling if the plan is to limit the damage Moore can do.
Keeping track of all of those numbers? Oh, and he’s up to 59 receptions, tied for 15th in the NFL. Keep in mind that a lot of these stats have arrived with Tyson Bagent — the rookie UDFA — being the one under center.
Truth be told, Minnesota may not have a perfect answer for him in the secondary. Brian Flores will likely be leaning on a variety of players to slow him down, meaning the task will get divvied up among guys like Byron Murphy, Akayleb Evans, Josh Metellus, Harrison Smith, and Camryn Bynum.
And, to be sure, there will be no shortage of emphasis on making Justin Fields uncomfortable in the pocket.
At times, the best way to corral a great receiver is to attack the quarterback. If the man under center can’t get the ball out of his hands with consistent rhythm, then a receiver is unlikely to take over a game. Dialing up the pressure, then, may be the best way of ensuring Moore doesn’t put together a Herculean effort on Monday Night Football.
Quote: Josh Dobbs Vowing to Get Better
Continuing the season’s unlikely turnaround isn’t going to happen unless the Vikings get solid play at quarterback. Excellence is preferred but not necessary. The Vikings are capable of pulling off a winning record with just solid play at the game’s most important position.
Josh Dobbs knows that he needs to improve on his Week 11 effort in Denver. Part of that needed improvement is going to flow from being more secure with the football. And even though Kareem Jackson used an illegal hit on the fumble, Dobbs isn’t making excuses: “At the end of the day, I can’t live in a world where I’m trying to get bailed out from fumbling the ball by the refs.”
Since arriving in Minnesota, Dobbs has put up some solid but not out-of-this-world numbers. He sits at a 65.6 completion percentage alongside 647 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception. The QB has added 131 rushing yards and a trio of rushing touchdowns. More discouraging are his 6 fumbles since arriving in The Gopher State.
The formula, then, is relatively simple (at least from behind a computer keyboard). Begin with completing the simple things. Get in and out of the huddle efficiently. Make sure every snap is handled cleanly (that was an issue in Week 11). Complete the easy passes, putting the ball in a spot where the receiver can pickup chunk yardage after the catch. On occasion, use that impressive athleticism to find extra time. The situation may call for a run or a pass, but make a concerted effort to protect the ball no matter how the pigskin travels down the field.
Playing timid won’t be good for anyone but playing smart will be good for everyone. Put differently, the new quarterback is going to keep pursuing the delicate balance where he’s simultaneously treating the football like a precious object while nevertheless being aggressive in his effort to get it across the goal line.
Sounds simple, at least in theory, but the actual lived reality is far from straightforward, even for a man as intellectually gifted as Dobbs. The onus falls on Dobbs and Kevin O’Connell to keep perfecting things as the season begins rolling downhill toward the playoffs.
Matchup: Ty Chandler vs. Chicago’s Defensive Front
Currently, the Chicago Bears are the best team in the NFL when it comes to limiting yards on the ground.
The average carry goes for just 3.4 yards, a paltry amount that any defensive coordinator would be proud to see on his résumé. Stepping back a bit further continues to point toward an impressive operation in Chicago. Overall, they’ve allowed just 875 rushing yards against, 3rd-best in the NFL. Plus, the 6 rushing touchdowns against is tied for 7th-best in the NFL.
Cracking the code, so to speak, is going to require some more brilliance from sophomore running back Ty Chandler.
In recent weeks, Chandler has been a needed spark for Minnesota’s ground attack. Alexander Mattison has underwhelmed at various points this year. His 3.7 yards-per-carry average doesn’t do much to inspire optimism in the Twin Cities, though his effort in Week 11 was mostly positive. The unfortunate play that will linger in people’s mind is the fumble — no doubt, a turning point in the game — but he generally did put together a solid outing.
Even still, Chandler is demanding more touches.
Chandler has proven that he’s a dynamic runner and a strong pass catcher, as well. He has been picking up praise from the team’s various coaches, so the expectation should be that his touches climb into the 10-15 range (and maybe even higher if things go perfectly). Playing quarterback becomes much easier when the running back is capable of putting a defense on its heels, so look for Chandler on Monday Night Football to take some pressure off of Mr. Dobbs.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.