The Call: Vikings at Bears

Given the Vikings' struggles at Soldier Field, and the tall task that awaits them with regard to running the ball against the Bears, it might seem like a stretch to pick them to win in Chicago. But if the Vikings can get the better of Mitchell Trubisky, they could create the turnover to put them over the top.

Big test for the ground game

The Vikings ran the ball 14 times for 22 yards in Chicago last year; they'll be more committed to it this year, but their task doesn't get much easier. According to Football Outsiders, the Bears' run defense last year was the 13th-best in the NFL, dating to 1986.

Cousins vs. Trubisky

Kirk Cousins' two-interception game at Soldier Field last year was a low point of his first season in Minnesota, while Trubisky threw a crucial end-zone interception in the Bears' opening loss to the Packers. Both try to answer some of their critics Sunday.

NFC North positioning at stake

Both teams are playing their second division games in the first quarter of the season, with each team having lost to the Packers. The winner will pull even with Green Bay at 3-1; the loser will fall to 2-2 with an 0-2 record in the NFC North.

Mack, who forced six fumbles last season, has already forced three this year, and the Bears will move him around enough that keeping him out of the Vikings' backfield will be a group effort. He'll come off both edges, meaning both Riley Reiff and Brian O'Neill will see plenty of him on Sunday.

Vikings CB Xavier Rhodes vs. Bears WR Allen Robinson

Robinson's second year in Chicago has seen him turn into Trubisky's favorite target, with a team-high 17 catches for 203 yards through three weeks. Robinson caught just one pass against Rhodes for 17 yards in their meeting last year; the physical receiver figures to see plenty of Rhodes' attention on Sunday.

12 Number of games (including playoffs) the Bears have gone without giving up 24 points or more at home. The last time they allowed that many was on Nov. 19, 2017, when they gave up 27 in a loss to the Lions.

They can get an efficient, turnover-free game from Cousins to go with a stable running attack. Piling up yardage on the ground will be difficult against the Bears, but the Vikings will at least need to keep themselves out of third-and-long situations where the Bears can come after Cousins.