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The inconsistent Chicago Bears travel to Minneapolis to take on the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Week 5. The Bears are hoping to bounce back from a Week 4 loss to the New York Giants. Here are our Chicago Bears Week 5 predictions as they take on the Vikings.
Chicago had three good red zone drives but scored no touchdowns in last week's 20-12 defeat to the Giants. They are 2-2 and will be looking for a huge away win in Week 5.
Meanwhile, the Vikings won a thrilling game against the New Orleans Saints in Week 4. Justin Jefferson racked up 147 yards on 10 catches and also scored a touchdown. His efforts, combined with kicker Greg Joseph's five field goals, resulted in a 28-25 win.
With all these in mind, here are our four bold predictions for the Chicago Bears in their Week 5 game against the Vikings.
Divisional showdown up north pic.twitter.com/1UcI8s7xq2
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) October 7, 2022
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4. The Bears will have a few second-half turnovers again
Remember that the Bears have the NFL's second-worst offense in terms of yards and points scored. While the offense has tried to control the time of possession and has tried to keep games close, they have mostly failed. In close games, the Bears have also failed to complete drives in the second half.
This season, Chicago has had seven turnovers, and these have hurt them, especially in the second half of games. Of course, no team can win if they give the ball up too much, especially late in the match. This just means that the Bears must improve their ball security and decision-making in the third and fourth quarters.
To illustrate, in their Week 4 loss to the Giants, the Bears fumbled the ball six times. They eventually lost three of those to New York. That just cannot happen if they want to bounce back against the Vikings. Sadly, all signs point to Chicago coughing the ball up again in Week 5. We expect them to have more than two turnovers in the second half against Minnesota.
3. David Montgomery plays and puts up 100+ yards
Both teams will rely heavily on the ground game on Sunday, but the Bears will get their starting RB David Montgomery back in time for a crucial game. Montgomery was forced to miss last week's game due to an ankle injury suffered against the Houston Texans. The Bears run game and pass protection weren't the same without him, but he's already started practicing and is listed as a game-time decision for Sunday.
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He is one of the NFL's hardest runners and will not back down from a game unless absolutely necessary. We expect Montgomery to return this week and receive the majority of the touches against a Vikings defense that allows 131 yards a game on the ground. Expect him to record 100+ yards rushing this week.
2. Eddie Jackson with another INT
Eddie Jackson is currently the best defensive player on this team and maybe even in the league. This season, the veteran safety has had a career resurgence. He has grabbed three interceptions and demonstrated how much better he is at tackling and anticipating offensive plays. Jackson will very certainly be needed this Sunday again to help stop Vikings WR Justin Jefferson.
Minnesota might not pass the ball much, though, especially if Cook and the rushing game get things going. However, Jackson appears to be near the ball on every play anyway He has already intercepted Kirk Cousins twice in his career and should also be a tackling force if needed. With how effectively Jackson is seeing the field, there's no reason to believe he can't add a third INT this week.
1. Justin Fields is… still a dud
Over four games, Fields has averaged 16.8 attempts and 117.8 yards per game. According to The Athletic, his 174-yard explosion (if you can call it that) against the Giants ranks as the 106th-most throwing yards in a game this season. Last year, he equaled or surpassed the 174-yard milestone seven times. The Bears are a shorthanded, run-heavy offense, but we're not seeing much growth from a guy who is talented enough to attract more attention.
Take note that Fields is also the second most-sacked QB so far in 2022 (16). While it's easy to blame the offensive line for his sack total, he also leads passers in time in the pocket. In fact, he averages 2.9 seconds per dropback. Furthermore, Fields is one of the least blitzed and knocked down quarterbacks in the NFL, thus his league-leading sack total is a product of his holding the ball too long.
On the flip side, Fields is too conservative when hitting the trigger even when he isn't holding the ball for too long. When it comes to throwing into tight coverage with a defender within one yard or less of the receiver, he's one of the most cautious quarterbacks in the NFL, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. If he wants to shed much of his troubles this season, Fields must be more decisive and aggressive in his throws against the Vikings.
Minnesota will likely be too good defensively, though. We expect him to throw for 170+ yards again with around 30+ yards rushing. No TDs and INTs, though, for Week 5.
