Nov 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) passes the ball against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images
When the Minnesota Vikings head to Chicago this weekend for a tilt against the Chicago Bears, they may do so with a bit of a competitive advantage. Chicago signed former Detroit Lions running back D’Andre Swift this offseason. His usage has largely been confusing, but he may be unavailable entirely on Sunday.
Against the Green Bay Packers, it wasn’t until Swift broke off a sizable run that he truly made an impact in the game. After that contest, he found himself banged up, and Chicago held him out of practice on Wednesday. He returned on Thursday, but only in a limited capacity. No matter what injury designation Chicago places on their starting running back for Sunday, it seems he’ll be at less than full strength.
The Bears’ running back depth chart is relatively thin. Roschon Johnson has sprinkled in plenty this season, and he’s been the red zone back as well. If Swift is unable to go through, it’s only Travis Homer behind Johnson. Minnesota would have much less to prepare for in the running game, and that means they could dictate the action to be the Caleb Williams show.
Thus far this season, Williams has failed to make good on his early claims of being a significant talent. He has just mediocre passing numbers, and his offensive line has allowed him to be sacked a league-worst 41 times. Minnesota wouldn’t need to stack the box against a Bears offense without Swift, and Brian Flores may just force the rookie to beat the secondary.
It’s likely that Minnesota can get home to the quarterback without bringing additional pressure. If Williams doesn’t have the same running game to fall back on, he could be in a world of hurt. The Vikings’ defense has been among the best units in the game this season, and any team not at full strength offensively finds itself at a disadvantage.
There’s no denying that Minnesota should and needs to win this game. They have gotten the job done each of the past two weeks on the road despite it looking ugly. That narrative could again play out on Sunday, but the theme that matters is a tally in the win column when the final seconds tick off.
Should Chicago be without one of the more talented backs in the league, Minnesota gets a chance to alter its game plan. We’ll find out soon what that will look like.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.