Vikings Face Bears in Week 2 at Soldier Field as Carson Wentz Makes His 100th Start and Caleb Williams Tests Brian Flores’ Defense

EAGAN, MN — The Vikings head into Sunday’s trip to Soldier Field with a game plan shaped by two big questions: whether their defense can slow Chicago’s ground game and whether Carson Wentz can extend his hot start in place of Kyler Murray.

Wentz will make his 100th career start after throwing three touchdown passes off the bench in Minnesota’s opening win over Green Bay. The matchup also brings a familiar North Division edge, with Justin Jefferson coming off a two-touchdown Week 1 and Bears coach Ben Johnson trying to get the most out of a powerful offense in his own first months in charge.

On the other side, Chicago is coming off a run-heavy opener and a takeaways-driven defensive performance, making this a test of discipline as much as talent.

Chicago’s rushing surge changes the tone of the matchup

The Bears’ first game set a loud tone on the ground. Chicago rolled up 291 rushing yards at Carolina, its highest total in a game since Walter Payton’s 302-yard performance in 1984.

D’Andre Swift ran for 124 yards and Kyle Monangai added 100, while Caleb Williams contributed 65 more. The Bears turned that production into a long list of touchdowns and showed how quickly their offense can punish a defense that loses leverage at the line of scrimmage.

That matters because Minnesota handled Green Bay’s backup runners in Week 1, but Sunday should be a stiffer assignment. Chicago’s offensive line, with Braxton Jones, Joe Thuney, former Vikings center Garrett Bradbury, Jonah Jackson and Darnell Wright, did a strong job creating movement against Carolina.

The Vikings also saw Chicago’s backfield cause damage last season, when the Bears averaged about 130 rushing yards per game in the series.

Caleb Williams brings both splash plays and stress points

Williams is still young, but the Vikings are preparing for a quarterback who can hurt a defense in several ways. He is not only a passer with deep-shot ability, but also a runner who can turn broken plays into explosive gains.

Last season, Williams’ completion rate on throws to open receivers was only 75.6%, one of the league’s lowest marks in that category. Even so, he ranked third in deep completions of 20 or more air yards and second among quarterbacks in touchdown passes when blitzed. He also has a real burst as a runner, with seven carries since 2025 in which he reached 20-plus mph, more than any other quarterback in that span combined.

Brian Flores has already shown he is willing to heat Williams up with pressure. Minnesota blitzed him heavily in past meetings, and Flores called him “a superstar” when discussing the challenge. The main question is whether the Vikings can force hurried decisions without giving up the kind of scramble or deep throw that changes a game quickly.

Turnovers may decide whether Minnesota controls the game

Both teams built strong defensive identities around taking the ball away. Chicago forced 33 turnovers last season, and Minnesota matched that total two years ago to share the league lead with Pittsburgh.

That makes ball security a huge issue for the Vikings. Under Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota has been far better when it wins or at least breaks even in turnover margin. The team is 21-2 when it has a winning turnover battle, and 36-4 when it is plus-one or even overall. When it loses the turnover battle, the Vikings have struggled badly, going 8-21.

Chicago kept the pressure on in Week 1 with an interception and two fumble recoveries. Rookie defensive back Malik Muhammad II came up with the pick, Tory Taylor helped create one of the fumble chances with a tricky punt, and Jaylon Johnson added a strip that shifted momentum.

For Minnesota, that means the offense cannot afford unnecessary mistakes, especially pre-snap penalties or empty drives on key downs.

Colston Loveland and Dillon Thieneman offer two rookie storylines

Chicago tight end Colston Loveland is one of the more intriguing names on the field even though his opener was quiet. The No. 10 overall pick in 2025 did not catch a pass on two targets against Carolina, but the Bears’ heavy rushing workload limited his chances.

There is still plenty to suggest a rebound. Loveland played 60 of 70 offensive snaps and ran 33 routes, which was a team high. He was heavily involved in the passing structure late last season and into the playoffs, so the Vikings cannot assume another quiet afternoon from him simply because he was held in check once.

On Minnesota’s side, rookie safety Dillon Thieneman made a strong first impression in his debut. The first-round pick out of Oregon posted 10 tackles, a quarterback hit and a pass breakup, and earned a game ball for his effort.

He moved all over the formation, lining up at cornerback, in the slot, at linebacker and at free safety, giving the Vikings a versatile new piece in the secondary.

Aaron Jones returns to one of his favorite places to run

Aaron Jones has a long history of productive games against Chicago, and Sunday gives him another chance to add to it. In 17 career matchups, he is 15-2 overall against the Bears and 8-1 at Soldier Field.

Jones needs just three rushing yards to become the seventh player ever to reach 1,000 career yards on the ground against one of the NFL’s original charter franchises. The list he is chasing includes Barry Sanders, Adrian Peterson, Jim Taylor, Joe Perry, Hugh McElhenny and Ahman Green.

He also has a memory that still fits the tone of this rivalry. In a 2021 game at Soldier Field, Jones caught a touchdown and finished with 110 scrimmage yards as the Vikings beat Chicago with a statement run game.

Jones said he enjoys the atmosphere in Chicago because it feels like a true road battle, with a small sideline group facing a huge crowd. For Minnesota, that kind of mentality may matter almost as much as the playbook.

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