Bears vs. Vikings: Can Bears contain Jonathan Greenard on MNF? |
Dustin Riese
· · 4 hours ago
The 2025 NFL Season is officially here.
Of all the teams in the NFC North, Minnesota may be the toughest one to project, and a lot of that hinges on their 22-year-old quarterback, JJ McCarthy, who is going to be their starter this season. Drafted No. 10 overall in 2024, McCarthy missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury and has only seen a handful of snaps this preseason. Throw in that he is still the youngest starting quarterback in the league, and there will be growing pains for sure. A significant reason why the Vikings are expected to be successful in this game and the regular season as a whole stems from the weapons built around McCarthy, with Justin Jefferson being the engine that drives this team. Jordan Addison is suspended for the first three games, as TJ Hockenson, Aaron Jones, and the newly reunited Adam Thielen are all going to do their best to try and solve the Bears' defense. However, the key to whether the Bears win this game won't come down to stopping the Vikings' offense, but rather solving the Brian Flores defense, as that unit gave the Bears fits last season. If Chicago is going to do that, then they will have to contain Jonathan Greenard, who is the single biggest X-Factor on the field Monday. Acquired as a free agent last offseason, the former Houston Texans EDGE rusher signed a five-year deal with the Vikings in what wound up being an even swap as Danielle Hunter left Minnesota for Houston. Not knowing what to expect from Greenard last season, the Vikings got everything they could've asked for and more, as he played at a level that Hunter tends to play at. Greenard made an immediate impact last season by playing in all 17 games and collecting 59 tackles, 12 sacks, four forced fumbles, and three pass deflections. It marks the second consecutive season in which Greenard has recorded 12 sacks, bringing his total to 24.5 sacks over the past two seasons. Compare that to Odeyingbo, who was Chicago's big offseason acquisition at the Edge position, and you have a guy who had just three sacks last season and 11 over the past two years. Although the Sack numbers jump off the page, it's what he doesn't do that scares you, as there are times when he is simply used as a decoy, which opens things up for Andrew Van Ginkel, who led the team in sacks last season, and newly acquired Jonathan Allen, who will give this team a new look up front. Greenard is one of those players who can wreck an offense, whether he is in the play or not, as he is one of those players that offensive coordinators and head coaches need to account for on every play. The more active he is during the play, the more attention he garners, and that alone opens things up for the rest of the Flores defense to play with their hair on fire. Slowing down the Vikings offense won't be easy, but the Bears have the defense that can do that. Slowing down Greenard, on the other hand, is a lot easier said than done, even if this team has completely revamped its entire offense. You can get a good sense of how things are going to go early, especially if Greenard starts attacking both tackle positions, as those would be the Bears' two biggest weaknesses on their line. These are the matchups you live for as players and fans, as there will be plenty of talent on the field on Monday, ready to showcase their skills for the home fans. What better way to open a new era of Bears football than by hosting a division rival on Monday Night Football?
