The Minnesota Vikings are preparing to face a much different Chicago Bears team than the one they saw in Week 1. Since that opening matchup, the two NFC North rivals have taken opposite paths.
Minnesota sits at 4-5 after failing to carry the momentum from its Week 9 victory over the Detroit Lions, falling to the Baltimore Ravens at home in Week 10. That loss kept the Vikings from climbing back above .500.
Meanwhile, the Bears have surged to a 6-3 record, dropping only one of their last seven contests, with that defeat coming against the Ravens on October 26. Caleb Williams’ late-game poise has fueled Chicago’s rise into playoff contention, as the rookie has helped the Bears pull out several close wins this season.
Nonetheless, in division games, records are often set aside, and the Vikings’ defense, led by defensive coordinator Brian Flores, will look to make life difficult for Williams, as they did in Week 1.
“I would say he’s probably one of the more challenging coaches that I’ve had to go against so far in my career,” Williams said on November 12 when talking to reporters about Flores. “Obviously, I haven’t played every single team yet and every single defensive coordinator, but up to this point, he’s been that.
“It’s all 70-plus plays that you have or so. It’s a full mental test. Every single play, he challenges you to reach your full mental capacity. This is always a fun game, going against Flo and his defense and the players he has on that side of the ball. Like I said, it’s always fun going up against a defensive coordinator and a team like this.”
Vikings’ Brian Flores Talks About Facing Caleb Williams
Much like Williams is preparing for the challenge of facing Flores’ defensive unit, the Vikings’ defensive coordinator is also readying a game plan that prevents the Bears’ star from having another contest in which he plays the hero.
Ahead of the Week 11 matchup, reporters asked Flores about Williams’ late-game performances for Chicago.
“He’s proven that in those moments he’s come up big multiple times,” Flores told reporters on November 11. “It looks like he thrives in those situations, which for a young quarterback is certainly an area you want to see.
“For us, we know that when it comes down to those moments—which most NFL games do—we’ve got to be at our best because he’s going to be at his best, and so are they. It’s a division game, so that’s probably what it’s going to be: A 60-minute battle. We’ve got to prepare the right way. It’s going to be a big challenge.”
Vikings Warned About Bears QB Caleb Williams
Flores and his group probably have a good idea of what to expect from Williams by now, though they could be up against a Bears standout who’s grown comfortable in high-pressure spots. Even so, former NFL coach Dave Wannstedt issued a warning to the Vikings’ defense before their matchup on November 16.
“The last two minutes of the game [against the New York Giants], I’ll tell you what, the first thought that comes to my mind is Caleb Williams almost performs better when he’s under pressure than when he’s in the flow of the game, if that makes sense,” Wannstedt said on November 9 on Marquee Sports Network. “You talk about avoiding the rush. I think the guy avoided six sacks today. Not just sacks where guys ran by, I’m talking about where they had a hand on him.
“It’s just incredible what he can do to keep a play alive. And these are unscripted plays. If you’re a wide receiver, tight end, or running back on our team, we’re going to call the play in the huddle. This is it. This is what we’re all trying to do. Everybody got it? Good.”
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