Ben Goessling's Vikings-Bears preview and prediction: Can the Vikings beat Justin Fields without Justin Jefferson?

The Vikings' first division game of the year is a battle of two 1-4 NFC North teams, as Minnesota tries to get its second win of the year before a Monday night matchup at home against the undefeated 49ers. The Bears won for the first time this season on Oct. 5 against the Commanders, and quarterback Justin Fields has posted the first two four-touchdown games of his career in Chicago's last two games. The Vikings will try to handle Fields in what could be rainy and windy conditions; they practiced outside in similar weather on Friday to prepare for what they could see at Soldier Field on Sunday.

Here's a look at the key matchups and story lines for Sunday's game:

Vikings play their first of (at least) four without Jefferson. After placing Justin Jefferson on injured reserve this week with a right hamstring strain, the Vikings will try to reconfigure their passing game for a month without the league's reigning Offensive Player of the Year. They could have Jefferson back as early as Nov. 10, but they'll spend at least the next four games trying to make up for his absence. On Sunday, Jordan Addison figures to play a larger role, and the Vikings could look to run the ball more frequently than they have this season, but they'll need quarterback Kirk Cousins to be more precise than he was against the Chiefs.

How will defenses react to Jefferson's absence? The Vikings are used to seeing opponents double-team Jefferson or shade their coverages toward him, leaving openings for other receivers. While that could mean opponents follow similar game plans to the ones the Vikings have scouted all week, rather than making major changes for Jefferson, it could also mean fewer advantageous matchups for players like Addison. Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who has faced Jefferson several times, could be frequently matched up with Addison for Chicago's 31st-ranked pass defense.

Handling the ball in the rain. The Vikings have lost a league-high eight fumbles this season, and had a handful of key drops on plays that might have turned the game against the Chiefs last week. Part of the reason they practiced outside Friday was to prepare for handling the football in slick conditions like the ones they could see against Chicago this weekend. Coach Kevin O'Connell said he's been impressed with how Cousins handles bad-weather games, recalling several games from when he coached Cousins in Washington where the quarterback was still able to throw accurately.

Moore helps Fields ignite passing game. The Bears acquired wide receiver D.J. Moore in the trade that sent the No. 1 overall pick to the Panthers last spring. Moore, who's caught 27 passes for 531 yards in five games, has turned into a more dynamic receiving threat than the Bears have had in recent memory. Akayleb Evans, who was a full participant in practice on Friday after working through a knee injury this week, should see plenty of Moore if he's in fact ready to go on Sunday. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Moore is averaging 8.8 yards after the catch, which is the most in the NFL.

Foreman, Fields could be Bears' top running threats. The Bears won't have Roschon Johnson or Khalil Herbert, their top two running backs, for Sunday's game because of injuries, meaning D'Onta Foreman and Darrynton Evans will be their only healthy running backs. Foreman, a former Texan, Titan and Bronco, has carried five times for 16 yards this season. He'll have a bigger workload Sunday, but the Bears also use Fields as a regular rushing threat, with 39 carries for 191 yards this season.

Vikings

No injury designations

Bears

Out: RB Khalil Herbert (ankle), RB Roschon Johnson (concussion), RB Travis Homer (hamstring), WR Equanimeous St. Brown (hamstring), DB Terrell Smith (ankle/illness).

Questionable: DB Eddie Jackson (foot), OL Lucas Patrick (concussion)

The Vikings will play their first game without Jefferson since they drafted him, and they'll face a Bears team that's building a more explosive passing game with Fields finding Moore and tight end Cole Kmet more frequently. Wind and rain at Soldier Field could add some unpredictability to the game. But if the Vikings are serious about rallying from their 1-4 start, this is the type of game they should win, even if it's closer than they might expect. They'll score enough against an underwhelming Bears defense to get their second win of the season. Vikings 24, Bears 20