The Minnesota Vikings (11-2) host the Chicago Bears (4-9) in this NFC North matchup. A victory will keep the Vikings alive in their quest to have the best record in the NFC, a first-round bye in the playoffs, and home-field advantage through the NFC Championship Game. Our Bears vs Vikings prediction is for the teams to score more than 43.5 points.
Head-to-head, Minnesota leads with a record of 67-58-2.
Offshore Odds: Vikings Favored by 7 at Home
| Team | Spread | Money Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bears | +7 (-119) | +270 | O 43.5 (-115) |
| Vikings | -7 (-101) | -325 | U 43.5 (-105) |
Chicago’s Disastrous Season Winds Down
On the final play of the Bears’ Week 8 game in Washington, all they needed to do was prevent the Commanders from completing a Hail Mary and they would have won the game. With a win, their record would have risen to 5-2 with a good chance at the playoffs. However, the Commanders did hit a Hail Mary pass, won the game, and sent Chicago into an ongoing tailspin.
They visit their longtime rivals, the Vikings, having lost seven in a row. Three of those losses were within three points or less. Their last loss to San Francisco was a 38-13 blowout. They are working under interim head coach Thomas Brown who has been promoted twice from passing game coordinator to interim offensive coordinator and then to interim head coach when Matt Eberflus was fired.
It’s like getting promoted to captain while the Titanic is sinking.
Number one overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Caleb Williams, has struggled but improved before the loss in San Francisco.
Overall, the Bears are not as bad as their record. Their problem is that Eberflus was not the right coach to nurture what should be an offensive powerhouse. They have continued to play hard despite their downward spiral and playing a rival is an incentive to be a spoiler.
Minnesota Must Win to Boost Its Postseason Seed
The Vikings barely escaped with a win over Chicago in Week 12. Chicago scored 11 points in the last 22 seconds to tie the game before Minnesota kicked an overtime field goal.
After a series of tight wins, the Vikings finally had a relatively easy victory in Week 14, beating Atlanta 42-21. They ran up 433 yards of offense as Sam Darnold threw five touchdown passes. Darnold is making it difficult for Minnesota to simply move on from him with the injured first-rounder J.J. McCarthy set to take over in 2025.
Their run defense is one of the NFL’s best, ranked second in fewest yards allowed on the ground per game. Their pass defense is near the bottom.
Bears vs Vikings Prediction: The Teams Will Run Up a High Score
Minnesota’s offense has been humming and Chicago has looked better in recent weeks despite its losses. The teams will combine to score over 43.5 points.
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