Minnesota @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 9, 2012 ) Chicago 14, Minnesota 21

The Marc Trestman era in Chicago got off to a strong start last week, as Jay Cutler and the Bears got just enough out of the offense to give the first-year head coach an opening-week win. Things get more difficult for Trestman and company on Sunday, when the Minnesota Vikings visit for his first NFC North rivalry game. The offensive-minded coach will have to find a way to slow Adrian Peterson’s long runs.

The Bears surrendered only 63 yards on the ground in a win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 but are going against a running back in Peterson that gashed the defense for a total of 262 yards in two meetings in 2012. It was Peterson’s running at the end of last season that propelled the Vikings to four straight wins closing out the regular season, bumping them up past Chicago and into the last wild-card spot in the NFC.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, Fox. LINE: Bears -6.5. O/U: 42.

ABOUT THE VIKINGS (0-1): Minnesota regularly sees eight-man defensive fronts with Peterson in the backfield, but quarterback Christian Ponder has yet to prove that he can take advantage of the single coverage on the outside. Ponder threw three interceptions and lost a fumble in a 34-24 Week 1 loss at Detroit and is facing a Chicago defensive backfield that forced three turnovers last week and led the NFL in that category a year ago. Ponder’s inability to open things up on the outside left little room for Peterson after his 78-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

ABOUT THE BEARS (1-0): The most encouraging thing about Chicago’s 24-21 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 may have been the spot on Cutlers stat line that read: sacks-0. Cutler was sacked 148 times in the last four seasons but the Bears rebuilt the offensive line with four new faces for 2013. Trestman, who specialized in a short passing game during previous stints as an offensive coordinator, is also trying to get the ball out of Cutler’s hands quickly and to receivers like Brandon Marshall, who caught eight passes for 104 yards and a score against the Bengals. Marshall totaled 22 catches for 252 yards in the two meetings with Minnesota in 2012.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Bears have taken six of the last seven meetings overall and five straight at home.

2. Peterson has rushed for 1,037 yards in his last seven games against divisional opponents.

3. Chicago CB Charles Tillman (knee) was limited in practice and is questionable.

PREDICTION: Bears 24, Vikings 20