Yes, Virginia, the Vikings can go to the Super Bowl

Beating the new Bears

One of the reasons the Bears have been successful this year is the fact they have added a game-breaking hybrid defensive player named Kahlil Mack. The type of player which never hurts a solid defense, especially on the natural grass of Soldier Field.

However, another big reason that Chicago has won the NFC North for the first time in eight years is also due to new head coach Matt Nagy being in charge. His inventive and aggressive playbook works very well with the talent he has assembled in Chicago.

“First season” offensive teams–and players–can be like that.  But new stars have a tendency to lean closer to Earth once much-traveled NFL offensive and defensive coaches have had a full offseason watching film on them.

Think of the riddles of Vince Young, Michael Vick, Cam Newton, the “Wildcat” offense, the “RPO” offense, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, and even Ryan Fitzpatrick and his decade of magic tricks that flame on and flame out. It’s been happening for about 100 years of football.

The Vikings need to speed up that process on Sunday. They don’t have an offseason to figure out all the assailable weaknesses in this Chicago team.

That means both Mike Zimmer and Minnesota interim offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski have to be inventive and aggressive too, all the while remaining in the strongest physical principle of this Viking team.

That may mean “pound the beef”, “slip the rug”, or execute variations on the “fumblerooski”.  If Nagy fools Zimmer more times than Stefanski fools Bears defensive coach Vic Fangio, Vikings fans are off to their house chores and fishing holes for January.