Despite exiting last Sunday's game due to a concussion, Kyler Murray practiced on Wednesday and still has the potential to suit up for the Minnesota Vikings this weekend in the team's big NFC North matchup against the Chicago Bears.
If Murray doesn't clear the NFL's concussion protocol before Sunday, then Carson Wentz will get the start at quarterback for the Vikings when they face the Bears, which is exactly what BearGogglesOn.com's Ryan Heckman is hoping for.
Heckman recently spoke with us here at The Viking Age, and he explained why he'd rather see Murray in the starting lineup for Minnesota against the Bears on Sunday instead of Wentz.
"I’m hoping to see Kyler healthy and playing on Sunday.
First and foremost, I trust him less than I'd trust Wentz in a Kevin O’Connell offense.
Look at the production from Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold; mostly pocket passers who can stand and deliver.
What I've witnessed from Kyler, over the last few seasons, is a quarterback who refuses to stand in the pocket and deliver. It's that simple.
He's looked far less sure of himself over the latter half of his career, and I would much rather face that guy than the one who helped Minnesota erase a second-half deficit against the Packers in Week 1.
Will Wentz make a mistake or two?
I'm counting on it if he plays. But will he be willing to sling it with confidence? Also, yes — and he threw it almost exclusively to Justin Jefferson after replacing Murray.
Why would I want that?
Please, give me Murray."
If Kyler Murray plays, his past road success against the Chicago Bears should comfort the Minnesota Vikings
As a member of the Arizona Cardinals for his entire NFL career before signing with the Vikings earlier this year, Murray hasn't played many games inside Chicago's Soldier Field. But when he has, he's put up some pretty solid numbers.
In two career road matchups against the Bears, Murray has completed 66 percent of his passes, thrown for 353 total passing yards, four total touchdowns, and no interceptions to generate a passer rating of 110.0.
Those matchups took place in 2021 and 2023, so current Chicago defensive coordinator Dennis Allen wasn't the one running the Bears' defense.
However, in Murray's last game against a team with Allen running the defense (New Orleans Saints in 2022), he completed 69 percent of his passes for 204 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions, in addition to rushing for 30 yards on seven attempts.
With Kevin O'Connell as their head coach, the Minnesota Vikings have never lost a road game against the Chicago Bears
Despite putting together solid performances in his two trips to Chicago, Murray wasn't able to lead his team to a win in both of those games. With the Cardinals in both contests, the veteran quarterback and Arizona lost its road matchup against the Bears in 2023 and won when they traveled to Chicago in 2021.
Losing in Chicago isn't something Minnesota has yet to experience since Kevin O'Connell was hired as the team's head coach in 2022. In four road battles against the Bears under O'Connell, the Vikings have left Soldier Field with a win every time.
Last season was Minnesota's first road contest against Chicago with Ben Johnson as the head coach of the Bears, and the Vikings were able to get a victory in that matchup thanks to a 21-point fourth quarter (sound familiar?).
Minnesota and O'Connell will be looking to extend their winning streak in Chicago together to five on Sunday, and both fanbases will be watching closely during the next few days to see if that attempt will be made with Murray or Wentz starting under center.
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