Monday Night Football Preview: Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings

Game Overview

The Chicago Bears (4-9) are set to face the Minnesota Vikings (11-2) in a Monday Night Football showdown. The Vikings, riding a six-game winning streak, are favored by 7 points, with an over/under set at 44 points.

Team Analysis

Chicago Bears

Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has faced challenges behind a struggling offensive line, leading to a league-high 41 sacks. The Bears’ offense has been inconsistent, failing to score more than 20 points in over a month. Defensively, the absence of safety Jaquan Brisker (concussion) could further expose their secondary.

Minnesota Vikings

Quarterback Sam Darnold has been in exceptional form, averaging 289.5 passing yards and totaling 11 touchdown passes over the past four games. Wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison have been standout performers, with Addison recording 410 receiving yards in the last four games, including a 133-yard, three-touchdown performance recently. The Vikings’ defense has been formidable, leading the league with 115 quarterback pressures and a blitz rate exceeding 35%.

Key Player Projections

Chicago Bears

• Caleb Williams: 21 completions on 35 attempts, 224 passing yards, 1 touchdown, 0.35 interceptions.
• D’Andre Swift: 15 carries, 62 rushing yards; 3 receptions, 20 receiving yards.
• Cole Kmet: 4 receptions, 45 receiving yards.

Minnesota Vikings

• Sam Darnold: 20 completions on 30 attempts, 244 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions.
• Aaron Jones: 18 carries, 85 rushing yards, 1 touchdown; 2 receptions, 15 receiving yards.
• Justin Jefferson: 6 receptions, 90 receiving yards, 1 touchdown.
• Jordan Addison: 5 receptions, 75 receiving yards.

Betting Insights

The Vikings have covered the spread in six of their last 11 away games, while the Bears are 0-8 in their last eight road games. The total has gone over in six of the Vikings’ last six games. Considering these trends, the Vikings are well-positioned to cover the -7 spread, and the over on 44 points is a plausible outcome.