Vikings fans probably already know not to assume victory. Ever. But if you’ve penciled Sunday’s game at Chicago into your two-score breather win column because the Bears have lost four straight, employ an unpolished rookie quarterback who’s been sacked a league-high 41 times and have canned a coordinator before Thanksgiving, well …
Beware Da Bears.
Why?
A. About this time last year, the Vikings were still a playoff contender at 6-5. The Bears were 3-8. Chicago won 12-10 at U.S. Bank Stadium in prime time.
B. Two of the Bears’ four straight losses came on the infamous 52-yard Hail Mary at Washington and a blocked field goal at home against the Packers last week. That’s two walk-off losses at the buzzer against two teams that are a combined 14-7 and currently own the NFC’s last two playoff seeds.
C. Chicago’s defense is ranked seventh in points allowed (18.7) and first in the red-zone success (40.63%).
And, last but not least …
D. The aforementioned unpolished rookie QB — No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams — actually looked pretty darn good in last week’s 20-19 loss to Green Bay. So did interim offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, the former passing game coordinator who replaced the fired Shane Waldron four days earlier.