Three Keys To The Game: Bears Vs. Vikings

By CBS 2's Ryan Baker 

Slow Down Vikings Ground Attack

After a short week, it may not be smooth sailing along the lakefront for the short-handed Bears. Somehow, they must figure out how to slow the Vikings' vaunted ground attack.

The availability of defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, who re-aggravated a right knee injury on Monday night, is a game-time decision.

Vikings running back Dalvin cook, the NFL's leading rusher through three games, will be licking his chops if the Bears' best run-stopper is on the sidelines.

The Bears D-line depth is already under duress with Bilal Nichols still out with a broken hand.

Keep Cousins Kissing Soldier Field Turf

Vikings Quarterback Kirk Cousins kissing soldier field will be key. Khalil Mack, Leonard Floyd, and Danny Trevathan must keep the pressure on Cousins, either bringing him to the turf with a sack or forcing him into bad decisions, like Eddie Jackson's game-saving pick-6 against Minnesota last November.

The Bears defense is back to its ball-hawking form with six takeaways in back-to-back road victories.

Regain Homefield Advantage

As the Bears return to Soldier Field, they need to regain their homefield advantage.

Going back to the playoffs last January, they've lost consecutive home games after going 7-1 during the regular season in 2018. They don't want the boo birds to start chirping again and the defending NFC North champs definitely don't want to fall into an early 0-2 hole in the division.

It's the 2-1 Vikings vs. the 2-1 Bears right here on CBS 2 at 3:25 p.m.