EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- His days in Chicago appear to be numbered. He conveniently recovered from a thumb injury just after Brian Hoyer broke his arm. And yet, for the Minnesota Vikings, Jay Cutler still represents a challenge.

Paying respect to an opposing quarterback is standard NFL practice the week before a game, but given Cutler's history against the Vikings, there are results to back up the boilerplate. The 33-year-old quarterback won eight of his first 10 career starts against the Vikings. And even though he's lost his last three meetings with the Vikings, he's played well enough in his last three home starts against Minnesota that his return to the Bears' lineup is being treated with some notice.

"He moves in the pocket well and scrambles well, and he can make the throws pretty much from anywhere," coach Mike Zimmer said. "He's always been an impressive quarterback to me."

Three years ago, Cutler directed a last-minute drive that might as well have signaled the Vikings' upcoming coaching search, laying bare a toothless defense in a 31-30 comeback win that was the first of five games where the Vikings would give up last-minute leads that season.

He spent the day targeting cornerback Josh Robinson in 2014, exploiting the matchup for three touchdowns to Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall in the Bears' 21-13 win. Even last year, when the Vikings rallied for a 23-20 victory over the Bears, Cutler completed 22 of his 33 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown.

His career passer rating of 91.8 against the Vikings is the best mark he's posted against any team in the NFC North. Cutler, who is 7-7 against the Detroit Lions and 2-11 against the Green Bay Packers -- a mark that probably stings every Bears fan -- is 8-5 against the Vikings.

"When they got him back, I was like, 'Man -- we've definitely got to be on our game,'" cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said. "They have good, quality quarterbacks, but Cutler, he's a guy to me that played elite last year. We've definitely got to do a good job covering guys up and making plays on the football."

Cutler's passer rating of 92.3 was the highest of his career last year, suggesting he'd curtailed some of his bad habits under offensive coordinator Adam Gase. With Gase now the head coach in Miami and Cutler reportedly on the outs with Bears coach John Fox, this week's matchup could be the final time the quarterback will face the Vikings at Soldier Field.

If it is, the Vikings will be ready for him. They've got enough experience with Cutler to know they can't take the enigmatic quarterback lightly.

"I do think Cutler will give them a lift coming back," Zimmer said. "I think he's a big-time arm talent. We're going to have to play very well in order to win."