greediron wrote:

Cuz the baby was sleeping and I was the one home with the kids. No way I was waking a sleeping baby.

I knew you were holding a sleeping baby, but that still had to be really hard to do.

I agree, no way I would wake a sleeping baby either.

Caleb Williams on Bears offense's plan vs. Vikings: "Scoring every drive is our mindset. That's the potential of us."https://t.co/tQLiHXkAQg

— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) September 17, 2026

🔥 Burning questions entering Week 2 with @SamMonsonNFL:

Timestamps:
* 0:55 – Intro: Week 1 is a liar
* 2:04 – Bears offense: Legendary?
* 4:24 – Ben Johnson vs. Brian Flores
* 8:23 – Matt LaFleur feeling the pressure?
* 12:43 – Are the Chiefs all the way back?
* 16:08 – Titans:… pic.twitter.com/dm6UtTmYj9

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 17, 2026

Kyler Murray (concussion) is practicing on at least a limited basis for the second consecutive day. These drills don’t give much indication of his progress, but they are typically what happens during the open portion of practice. pic.twitter.com/xBeMvTJCM1

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) September 17, 2026

Kyler Murray again limited.

Brian O’Neill (knee) DNP is worth monitoring. https://t.co/BI8khjxglT

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) September 17, 2026

Will Ragatz

Brian O’Neill being downgraded today is worrisome

Chicago Bears Injury Report

#Bears CB Jaylon Johnson on if he enjoys the #Vikings rivalry, specifically facing their WR core:

“Nah, I don’t enjoy going against the best guys in the league.”

(Via @mvsonwilliams) pic.twitter.com/C0NvzOfmFW

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) September 17, 2026

Adam Patrick@adampatrickNFL
Caleb Williams in 2 games against the #Vikings last season with Ben Johnson as his play-caller:

55.2 completion percentage
201.5 pass yards per game
1 pass TD
0 INTs
4 sacks
78.1 passer rating
1 rushing TD

MaroonBells wrote:

Adam Patrick@adampatrickNFL
Caleb Williams in 2 games against the #Vikings last season with Ben Johnson as his play-caller:

55.2 completion percentage
201.5 pass yards per game
1 pass TD
0 INTs
4 sacks
78.1 passer rating
1 rushing TD

I will admit this, the Vikings played them a lot tougher than I thought they would in the 2nd game @ USB...Hell, we might have gone 2/0 on em if ST's didnt let us down.

The Lions white out game too - I have rarely seen the Lions offense shut-down to that degree since Goff got there.

CRAZY how KOC did not lose that locker room last season.

Press Conferences from today. Nothing on X, so will need to click the links to watch on Vikings.com.

Minnesota Vikings Team Press Conferences - Week 2 vs. Chicago Bears - September 17 : www.vikings.com/video/team-press-conferences-week-2-bears-september-17

Aaron Jones Sr. on Jordan Mason's Injury, DeeJay Dallas, Vikings Commitment To Run Game, Matchup with Bears: www.vikings.com/video/aaron-jones-sr-on-jordan-mason-s-injury-deejay-dallas-vikings-commitment-to-run-game-matchup-with-bears

Jefferson on Carson Wentz's Performance, His 2 Touchdown Game vs. Packers, Matchup With Bears Defense : www.vikings.com/video/justin-jefferson-carson-wentz-performance-2-touchdown-game-vs-packers-matchup-bears-defense

Domonique Orange on Preparing for the Bears, NFL Debut vs. Green Bay & Grady Jarrett : www.vikings.com/video/domonique-orange-bears-nfl-debut-week-2-2026

Joshua Metellus on Game Planning for Vikings vs. Bears Matchup & QB Caleb Williams : www.vikings.com/video/joshua-metellus-bears-caleb-williams-week-2-2026

UPDATED MAP

Minnesota @ Chicago - Joe Davis, Greg Olsen

Philadelphia @ Tennessee - Adam Amin, Drew Brees

Carolina @ Atlanta - Tim Brando, Matt Millen

Green Bay @ NY Jets - Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

UPDATES:

• Oklahoma City OK: PHI-TN to MIN-CHI (Wed)

• Fort Myers FL; Bakersfield CA: MIN-CHI to GB-NYJ (Wed)

Obviously I want Kyler to clear protocol and be back on the field as soon as possible but man I really hope everyone involved is playing it as safe as possible. https://t.co/aXNboo6Vfm

— Jason Harmon (@JasonHarmonNFL) September 18, 2026

“I’m not a flirt, just a southern man” is an absolute bar. https://t.co/ZlbTsDGLRJ

— Jason Harmon (@JasonHarmonNFL) September 18, 2026

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/49957149/week-2-picks-predictions-schedule-fantasy-odds-2026

Vikings (1-0) at Bears (1-0)

1 p.m. ET | Fox | CHI -4.5 (47.5 O/U)

What we're hearing on the Vikings: DC Brian Flores posted an 83% blitz rate in the first half against the Packers and -- even after throttling down in the second half -- finished with a 71.7% rate that nearly tripled the NFL average in Week 1. Flores has always favored the blitz, but would he dare repeat that aggression level against the Bears? Flores considers the opening weeks of a season to be about improvement and experimentation. "What are the best groups of players who are out on the field? Who plays well with who?" he said. "That's what we're working through as a staff right now." -- Kevin Seifert

What we're hearing on the Bears: Chicago is preparing for the "King of the Cover-0 blitz," the nickname QB Caleb Williams gave Flores as a rookie. In 2025, Williams was blitzed 37.2% in his first meeting against Minnesota and 66.7% the second time. Trying to anticipate which strategy Flores will deploy is an ineffective plan. "You try to have answers for everything," coach Ben Johnson said. "He's been in this division three years now, and yeah, I mean you'd like to think he's put everything he could possibly do on tape until you play him next and you realize he hasn't yet. ... There always is with him and that's what makes him such a good coordinator." -- Courtney Cronin

Stat to know: The Bears need 37 points to break the NFL record for most points in a team's opening two games, currently held by the 1968 Raiders (95). -- ESPN Research

Bold prediction: Vikings QB Carson Wentz will throw multiple interceptions. I know he had some impressive moments and didn't throw any picks in Minnesota's Week 1 win. But this is still Wentz, and I assume he's still prone to a mistake or four. -- Walder

Viewers rating (out of 10): 9.0. There isn't a more fun schematic matchup in the entire league than Johnson versus Flores. This is Round 7 of their showdown. With a bad Bears defense on the other side of the ball, there should be explosive plays everywhere. -- Solak

Maldonado's pick: Bears 31, Vikings 24
Moody's pick: Bears 35, Vikings 26
Walder's pick: Bears 34, Vikings 17
FPI prediction: CHI, 65.6% (by an average of 4.5 points)

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/49952527/chicago-bears-blocking-schemes

'No block, no rock' is not just a mantra for Bears' offense

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears receiver Jahdae Walker threw his right shoulder into Will Lee III, sending the Panthers cornerback to the turf and creating the opening for receiver Kalif Raymond to work his way shy of the first-down marker.

It was late in Chicago's 59-37 win over Carolina, and the force of his block left Walker winded. Even in the thick of the Bears' offensive explosion, all the dirty work that Walker put in on 33 of his 34 offensive snaps was not lost on coach Ben Johnson.

Five plays later, Johnson sent in a playcall that rewarded the second-year wide receiver. Walker caught a 1-yard touchdown and became the fifth different Bears player to score in the season opener.

Walker, the former undrafted free agent, knew long before he made the team in 2025 that any role he'd earn on offense is dependent on him embracing the selfless, physical aspects of playing receiver that don't show up in a box score. But what's required of Walker isn't limited to players further down the depth chart. There's a rallying cry inside the offensive meeting rooms that everyone from star tight end Colston Loveland, who did not record a catch in Week 1 but has always been a willing blocker (27 run blocking snaps at Carolina), to rookie receiver Zavion Thomas must buy into.

"Oh shoot, [Johnson] just says, 'no block, no rock' and that just gets us going because we all want the ball," Walker said. "So that's pretty much all we be thinking about. It's just you got to buy into it or you're going to get left."

"No block, no rock" is a philosophy Johnson picked up during his days as a position coach with the Miami Dolphins. It's a common football expression that has been hammered into offensive players since Johnson became the Bears' head coach last year, making clear that if skill players want their touches, they have to be willing physical contributors.

That requirement is most necessary in the run game. Chicago's 291 rushing yards led to six touchdowns, the most rushing touchdowns in a season opener since the 1922 Canton Bulldogs. The Bears had not compiled that many rushing yards in a game since they ran for 302 against the Denver Broncos in a 27-0 win in 1984.

D'Andre Swift (124 yards, 3 TDs) and Kyle Monangai (100 yards, TD) made franchise history by becoming the first Bears duo to each rush for 100 yards in a season opener. Quarterback Caleb Williams contributed to the run game with 65 yards, which resulted in his first career game with multiple rushing touchdowns (2).

Of all 70 plays the Bears ran in Carolina, Johnson said Monangai's 61-yard touchdown run was his favorite. It wasn't just the offense's ability to score quickly one play after the Panthers turned the ball over on downs, nor was it Monangai keeping his balance in a track race to get away from defenders.

Blocks by Raymond and tight end Cole Kmet allowed Monangai to get to the second level. As Walker ran in stride with his running back teammate, the block he had on Panthers outside linebacker Princely Umanmielen sprung Monangai loose. As stoic as he appeared on the sideline, Johnson says he was rife with excitement at all the things that took place for that to be the result.

"We had a lot of our little guys going down and making big plays for us on the running game that ended up being some big runs for us," Johnson said. The Bears have amassed over 500 yards in a game twice under Johnson, including Week 1 at Carolina and a 47-42 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in November 2025. In the previous 25 seasons, a span that includes 413 games, there were two instances where the offense put up 500-plus yards.

Just like in Carolina, the run game was a huge factor in that Cincinnati win with 283 rushing yards. Swift's breakout performance in the season opener coming off signing a three-year, $33.75 million contract extension is why Johnson said he's "vital" to everything the Bears do on offense.

It also highlights the need from at least nine others on offense to make those plays happen routinely.

As the 2026 Bears build their identity over the first quarter of the season, one thing is already established. To reach or top the 127 explosive plays (10-yard rush or 20-yard completion) they had last regular season will require the efforts of everyone, not just the players who wind up with the ball in their hands.

"No block, no rock" is a mindset that will get its next test on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings (1 p.m. ET, Fox) at Soldier Field.

Don't feel good about this one Wentz will be sitting duck with his led feet.

Chicago wins 28-13 😔

Cricket wrote:

https://x.com/JasonHarmonNFL/status/2100937143946203161?s=20

Let's hope he back Wentz with his led feet will struggle

EllerVikes wrote:

Don't feel good about this one Wentz will be sitting duck with his led feet.

Chicago wins 28-13 😔

I feel similarly unless K1 starts. Its not that I think the Bears are a juggernaut, I just don't think a Minnesota offense behind Wentz can score enough points.