The Vikings are headed toward a Week 18 showdown in Detroit that could decide the fate of the NFC North, and Monday’s game against Chicago will be a checkpoint on the way to that goal.

The Bears are on a seven-game losing streak. They have their second head coach, their second offensive coordinator and their second defensive player this season. They are broken. They suffered four mismanaged, demoralizing losses.

Without fired head coach Matt Eberflus, who is a defensive master but terrible at game theory, the Bears were upended by San Francisco last week. What 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan saw that day is likely what Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell will see and take advantage of on Monday.

Everything went right for the Vikings, while everything that could go wrong went wrong for Chicago. The Bears have one thing to be happy about: quarterback Caleb Williams had a good rookie season and appears to be the answer behind center for a team that has played with lazy quarterbacks for most of its 104-year history has. If Williams can throw for an average of 274 yards over his final four games, he will break Chicago’s passing yards record of 3,838 yards set by Erik Kramer in a single season. That’s how bad Chicago’s quarterback history was.

Williams threw for 340 yards on November 24 as Chicago scored 11 points in the final 22 seconds of the fourth quarter before losing to the Vikings in overtime. Since then, Thomas Brown has been the head coach and Eric Washington has been the defensive coordinator. The debacle against the 49ers last week highlighted their inexperience. Now they face a better team away from home.

There is a big advantage for the Vikings here. Brown began the season as passing game coordinator, was promoted to offensive coordinator after Shane Waldron was fired, and is now interim coach after Eberflus was fired. O’Connell, it will be a long day for Washington. He will be forced to choose his poison. Pay particular attention to Justin Jefferson – the approach Chicago took in November – and watch Jordan Addison and TJ Hockenson flourish. Or use elite cornerback Jaylon Johnson in one-on-one situations where Jefferson ultimately gets the last laugh.

Aaron Jones recovered a fumble on Chicago’s first drive and gained 106 yards against a poor Bears run defense. Be on the lookout for more this Monday and prepare for game action.

Defensive coordinator Brian Flores now has enough of a record of Brown’s tendencies to keep Williams from torching the Vikings like he did last month. Williams has struggled in zone coverage all season. Flores went into the zone in overtime in Chicago and Williams was stunned. Expect more of the same with timely lightning attacks.