Even if Sam Bradford starts at quarterback as expected on Monday, the Vikings will miss Dalvin Cook as they try to avoid tripping up at Soldier Field. They'll keep the Bears' tepid pass rush at bay and do enough to win. Prediction: Vikings 17, Bears 9.
Three big story lines
Avoiding a Soldier Field fiasco
The Vikings have lost nine of their past 10 games in Chicago, including a 20-10 loss last year that marked the beginning of Mike Zimmer's eye issues, the end of Norv Turner's tenure as offensive coordinator and the point when the season went off the rails.
Trubisky's time
Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky will make his first start, as the No. 2 overall pick replaces Mike Glennon. The Vikings will look to pressure Trubisky while being mindful of the North Carolina product's mobility.
Howard, Cohen a tall order
The Vikings are third in the league in run defense, but they'll face a difficult pair of Bears backs in Jordan Howard and rookie Tarik Cohen, who's posted 331 rushing and receiving yards in four games.
