The Vikings’ Top 3 Questions Going into the Chicago Game

The Vikings are sitting atop the NFC North with a pristine 1-0 record. So, too, are the Chicago Bears. Who is going to jump up to 2-0 while the other drops down to 1-1?

The end result of the game is obviously the top question going into Week 2. Underneath the most obvious query about the final outcome is the set of questions that seek to drill down into the most pivotal factors in the final result. Check ’em out.

The Vikings’ Top 3 Questions

No. 1 — Can Kevin O’Connell Stick with It?

Give him credit for sticking with the ground attack in Week 1. Give him even more credit if he proves capable of sticking with the ground attack in Week 2 (and onward from there).

Nobody should be criticizing the former NFL quarterback who comes out of the Sean McVay coaching tree for preferring to pass the football. Doing so is quite reasonable, especially since that Justin Jefferson guy happens to be alright.

What has been unreasonable, though, has been the degree to which he overemphasizes that aspect of the overall attack. Being lopsided can shift into being one-dimensional troublingly quick.

Losing Jordan Mason hurts. The focus now shifts to Aaron Jones as the clear top option while DeeJay Dallas and Demond Claiborne try to help. Maybe even a run with Max Bredeson gets worked into the mix.

No. 2 — Does the Vikings’ Secondary Tighten Up?

Josh Metellus had a brutal opening game of the 2026 season. So did Byron Murphy Jr. and Theo Jackson. James Pierre, Isaiah Rodgers, and Harrison Smith were fine but nobody was terrific.

That must change against the Bears.

Caleb Williams oozes ability. Expect him to make several “wow” plays. So, too, is the skill formidable. All of TE Colston Loveland, TE Cole Kmet, RB D’Andre Swift, and WR Rome Odunze are very good players. Minnesota needs to be sharp.

No. 3 — Carson Wentz Needs to be Rock Solid. Is He?

Last week, Carson Wentz was playing some humdrum football before everything fell into place.

The QB2 is coming off a game where he went 12/19, working out to a 63.2% completion rate. And then there were a modest 133 yards but an impressive 3 touchdowns. Not completing any passes to Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings was an issue.

At the line of scrimmage, Wentz is fantastic, reading the defense well and doing a good job of getting the Vikings into the correct call. His athleticism and arm strength aren’t what they used to be, though. Essentially, he’s the perfect option for the Vikings based on his mental bandwidth but his physical talent has diminished over the years.

How these two factors get sorted out during the game remains to be seen.

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