The Minnesota Vikings just clawed out a flat-out ugly 9-3 victory over the Chicago Bears on a wet, messy Soldier Field Sunday, but honestly, who cares about pretty when you’re 2-0 in the young 2026 season? That’s right, they’re 2-0, and they’ve now won seven straight road games against the Bears. More importantly, this puts them 2-0 in the NFC North and the NFC, setting them up nicely in the early hunt.
Brian Flores’ Defense Is Playing Chess, Not Checkers
Look, if you haven’t been screaming about Brian Flores, you haven’t been watching. I’ve been singing this guy’s praises from day one, and what we’re witnessing is like the Vikings’ offense from 1998-2000, but on defense. It’s a masterpiece every week! Just check out what Bears QB Caleb Williams faced before he left the game with an injury. The dude was blitzed on a ridiculous 24 of his 31 dropbacks, that’s 77% of the time, going just 12-21 with an interception and a sack. When pressured, which was 14 of those 31 dropbacks (45%), he went a dismal 3-10 with an INT and two sacks. He struggled, big time.
You’d think it’s just endless blitzing, right? But that oversimplifies what Flores is doing. This isn’t just “blitzing” it’s straight-up “advantage creation.” You re-watch the tape, and there are just advantages everywhere. Chicago would keep six guys in to protect, only five would rush, and somehow, there’d still be an unblocked pressure. It’s truly impressive. Andrew van Ginkel celebrating Isaiah Rodgers’ fumble recovery in the third quarter was just another highlight in their dominant performance. Enjoy this defense now, because like those legendary offenses, it won’t last forever. Flores is absolutely getting another head-coaching gig.
Is the Offensive Line Finally Turning a Corner?
Alright, let’s talk about something that’s plagued this team for years: the offensive line. It’s only two games, so nobody’s getting carried away yet, but could those concerns finally be dissipating? There’s a narrative that Chris Kuper was the villain in recent years, and honestly, that story might have some legs. It’s telling that guys like Ed Ingram signed a big 3-year, $37.5 million extension with the Texans back in March, and Garrett Bradbury posted a decent 63.1 PFF pass-blocking grade for the AFC champion Patriots last season before the Bears handed him their starting job this year. Maybe the changes are working. It’s too early to say for sure, but there’s a glimmer of hope that this unit is finally getting its act together.
Next up, the Vikings are heading to Tampa Bay for Week 3 to face those famously inconsistent and baffling Buccaneers. Can they keep this defensive juggernaut rolling and stay perfect at 3-0? We’ll find out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Daily Norseman.
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