Bears slide in Week 3 power rankings after 9-3 loss to Vikings

Chicago dropped in national power rankings following a low-scoring loss to Minnesota and a hamstring injury to quarterback Caleb Williams.

The Chicago Bears slipped in major Week 3 NFL power rankings after a 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on September 20. The defeat came one week after the Bears put up 59 points at Carolina, highlighting a sharp swing in offensive production.

Caleb Williams left the game late with a right hamstring injury. Head coach Ben Johnson described the quarterback as week-to-week and expressed confidence that backup Tyson Bagent can run the offense without changes to the scheme.

The rankings placed Chicago anywhere from 11th to 16th. ESPN's Courtney Cronin had the Bears 11th, CBS Sports' Pete Prisco put them 12th, USA Today's Nate Davis and Windy City Gridiron's Aaron Leming ranked them 13th, Yahoo Sports' Frank Schwab had them 14th, and NFL.com's Nick Shook listed them 16th.

Several analysts noted the offensive struggles, with only three points scored despite multiple red zone and goal-to-go trips. Schwab also pointed to the limited involvement of Luther Burden III, Rome Odunze, and Colston Loveland, who have combined for 14 catches through two games.

Johnson said after the game that weather was a major factor and credited both defensive coordinators for making things difficult. Chicago is scheduled to host the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night in Week 3, though Williams' availability had not been ruled out.