Chicago Bears: Ranking the top 7 biggest NFC threats

6. Minnesota Vikings, tier three

The Bears own division rivals, the Minnesota Vikings come in at number six due to a solid defense, but an offense led by an inconsistent quarterback in Kirk Cousins. Many seem to forget the fact that just two years ago, the Vikings were in the NFC Championship game and had many of their current core players in that game.

However, a messy 2018 season in which the offense was too inconsistent each week eventually derailed the Vikings playoff hopes. As Minnesota enters its second season in Kirk Cousins era, it’s fair to expect the offense to progress. This offensive progression is what makes the Vikings a threat to the Bears.

The key difference between the Bears and Vikings is the fact that the Vikings know what it takes to win in the playoffs. As mentioned above, Minnesota was in NFC Championship game two years ago and although they didn’t win, Mike Zimmer and co. still gained valuable experience.

Last season, the Bears swept the Vikings. And while most would want to write off Minnesota, they simply cannot be ignored. Since the NFL is a year-to-year league, the Vikings 2018 season doesn’t matter anymore. It’s all about 2019 now for the Purple People Eaters.