Chicago Bears Schedule: 5 toughest games in 2018
By Ryan Heckman
Week 17: On the road against Minnesota Vikings
For the third season in a row, the Bears will travel to Minneapolis for their season finale. This could end up being the toughest game of the season for a few reasons.
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First of all, like the Rams and 49ers games, the Vikings could also be facing enormous playoff implications to close the season. I will not be the ignorant fan to say the Vikings aren’t the favorites to win the division, but rather question where exactly they will be in playoff seeding entering this contest.
Will the Bears be in the picture? I have a hard time seeing the playoffs this season, but again, I could be wrong. However, could Chicago play spoiler in their division rival’s playoff seeding? That’s a much more likely scenario.
One thing I can tell you for sure about this game is this: If the Bears have a 1st-and-goal from the 6-yard-line, Jordan Howard will touch the football.
For those of you who do not remember, the Bears faced this exact situation in last year’s finale, and Dowell Loggains failed to give the ball to Howard not just on first down, but second, third and fourth down. Howard was only given nine carries all afternoon in that contest — things will go differently this time around.
The Bears are going to have to be prepared for a very different Vikings team. Not that the roster has changed a whole lot, but Kirk Cousins is now at the helm. Cousins gives the Vikings a top-6 quarterback, statistically, over the last three seasons. The defense better be ready for not only Cousins, but running back Dalvin Cook as well.
Barring any significant injuries, the Bears will likely be facing one of the NFL’s top offenses to close the season.