The Minnesota Vikings will go for a season sweep of a division rival when they host the Chicago Bears on Monday night in Minneapolis.
Minnesota (6-5) already has faced the Bears once this season, earning a 19-13 win in Chicago in Week 6. That fueled a five-game winning streak that finally ended last week when the Denver Broncos handed the Vikings a 21-20 loss.
Now, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell must decide whether to allow his best player — wideout Justin Jefferson — to return from a hamstring injury or to play it safe and keep Jefferson out for this week plus the team’s bye next week. The Athletic reported Thursday that Jefferson is not expected to play.
The 24-year-old Jefferson had 36 catches for 571 yards and three touchdowns when he went down in the fifth game of the season.
“We have urgency to win this football game,” O’Connell said. “We’re just not going to allow that to distract us from the fact that we started out with some really strong principles in making sure Justin was at a good place and 100 percent healthy when he returns. … We’re not going to allow any other outside circumstances or even the circumstances of our team to drive that situation in any way, shape or form.”
Questions also surround Chicago (3-8), albeit for different reasons. The Bears are positioned to have a couple high picks in next year’s NFL draft, and they must decide whether Justin Fields is their long-term answer at quarterback or whether they should turn to a top prospect.
Fields, 24, has completed 62.7 percent of his passes for 1,370 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions in seven games. He also has rushed for 341 yards and a touchdown.
In his last game against the Vikings, Fields sustained a dislocated right thumb that forced him to miss four games. He was 6 of 10 for 58 yards with an interception when he was injured.
“We’re better than what we put on tape that game,” Fields said. “(It’s all about) putting our best foot forward. Making sure we’re on our Ps and Qs each and every play. Locked in and getting the ball out fast when we need to, when they do bring that pressure. It’s going to be key. When they do bring pressure, the O-line picking it up. Everything starts up front.”
Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs also has spent a fair amount of time evading pressure in the pocket since he joined the team in an Oct. 31 trade with the Arizona Cardinals. Dobbs has passed for 647 yards, four touchdowns and one interception in three games with Minnesota, and he has rushed for 131 yards and three touchdowns.
Both teams are dealing with several players on the injury report.
Bears running back D’Onta Foreman (ankle/shin), center Lucas Patrick (back), guard Larry Borom (illness) and linebacker Noah Sewell (knee) all missed the first full practice of the week on Thursday.
The Vikings had three players who were limited in their first practice: Jefferson (hamstring), tight end T.J. Hockenson (ribs) and cornerback Akayleb Evans (calf).
One player within range of a statistical milestone is Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore. He needs 111 receiving yards to secure his fourth career 1,000-yard season.
–Field Level Media
