–A derisive cheer Sunday met linebacker Leonard Floyd when he made his first sack of the season.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio offered some areas for needed improvement by Floyd.
“He’s got to be more decisive earlier in his rushes,” Fangio said. “He’s got to use his speed and athleticism and get some advantages earlier than he’s getting.”
–Fangio wouldn’t be surprised if Khalil Mack gets even better. Mack had his sixth and seventh sacks on Sunday and called it a matter of “playing catchup” after missing two games with an ankle injury.
“He didn’t practice much the two weeks he’s missed and the week of when he didn’t play against (the Jets), so he’s not where he needs to be or where we want him to be but he’s certainly prepared enough to go out there and play if his ankle will let him,” Fangio said.
Mack’s return made an instant impact. Fangio called Mack a “multiplier” because he improves those around him, and the Bears had four sacks besides the two Mack produced.
“We had 52 back, and he requires a lot of attention on the line,” cornerback Prince Amukamara said. “I think our guys up front were just hunting. Even (slot corner) Bryce (Callahan) became a part of the party too and got his sack.”
–If Mitchell Trubisky is ignoring social media, it doesn’t mean the rest of the Bears are. Prince Amukamara said social media is telling him the game with the Vikings will be a huge event in Chicago.
“I can tell there is excitement on the social media world by a lot of fans and just how passionate they are, and we are excited that it is a Sunday night game and it’s a great time to show how great we’ve been doing,” Bears cornerback Prince Amukamara said.
The Bears seem to have become a hot item. Their game with the Los Angeles Rams Dec. 9 was flexed Wednesday to a Sunday night game, as well.
–Sunday’s win brought the Bears’ turnover ratio to plus-13, best in the league.
“That’s our whole attitude,” linebacker Danny Trevathan said. “The ball is ours, let’s get it back.”
–The rise of the Bears offense has been a source of delight for defensive players, who were shouldering the burden in the season’s first few weeks.
“It’s been easy, it’s been fun,” Trevathan said. “Our offense has been working their tails off. They’re starting to reap the benefits of that. And on defense, we’re starting to see them come together and it’s making us play a little bit better.”
“It’s been exciting, especially to see the growth in Mitch and just how comfortable he is and how much fun he’s having playing,” Amukamara added.
–Kicker Cody Parkey was sent down to Soldier Field to practice at night after the Bears had said last week he didn’t need to do it. Hitting the uprights four times tends to change things.
Parkey insisted it won’t get in his head, and credited his support group.
“I go home to my wife and my dog, and they don’t really care if I make field goals or not. So I find peace in that,” he said. “I talk to my family, stuff like that. But I don’t beat myself up, I don’t go on social media, I don’t do any of that. I could care less about what anyone thinks of me other than people in this locker room.”
What about Jimmy Fallon? On The Tonight Show, Fallon made fun of Parkey’s four kicks off the uprights.
“No, I could care less,” Parkey said.
–The Vikings’ offense may have a different coordinator, but head coach Matt Nagy sees them as an attack starting to peak.
“They can score right away, they can score, both of those receivers with (Adam) Thielen and (Stefon) Diggs they’re just very natural receivers,” Nagy said. “They have excellent hands, great route runners, they understand how to beat zones and then Kirk (Cousins) throwing the ball to them, he’s been doing it for a long time. He’s extremely accurate. He’s tough. He finds different ways to get the ball to those guys. He’ll take hits in the pocket.”
–Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer estimated Nagy comes into games with 800 plays in the game plan. No way, Nagy said.
“No, it’s more like 750,” Nagy said.
BY THE NUMBERS: 6 — Number of games in which the Bears defense forced three or more turnovers.
