Chicago heads into its Week 18 NFC North matchup with the Minnesota Vikings missing starting QB Justin Fields and several key defensive players.
Significant Bears Injuries
- QB Justin Fields has been ruled out for Sunday with a hip injury
- CB Jaylon Jones is questionable for Sunday with a concussion
- LB Sterling Weatherford is questionable with an unspecified illness
- LS Patrick Scales is questionable with a neck injury.
Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears Betting Preview
The Vikings are NFC North Division champions and are a -7.5 point away favorite when they meet the Bears Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field.
Minnesota is 12-4 this season, and the NFC North champs boast the 7th best scoring offense. Vikings QB Kirk Cousins has thrown for a 4th-best 4322 yards with 28 TD passes and 14 interceptions. The Michigan State alum is coming off a horrible Week 17 outing, throwing three interceptions in a 41-17 away loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Weapons surround Cousins–WRs Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, and KJ Osborne have combined for 3012 receiving yards and 18 TD receptions. TE TJ Hockennson has snagged 53 passes for three TDs, and RB Dalvin Cook is not only the Vikings’ top ground gainer but has an additional 295 receiving yards with a pair of TD receptions.
The Vikings Achilles heel is their defense–Minnesota has allowed 19 more points than they score and has allowed 157 points over their past five games. The Vikings are 25th in defensive DVOA and are 1-4 ATS against the NFC North.
Chicago QB Nathan Peterman is slated to make the start, and he’s in charge of a Bears offense ranked 27th in total offense and 23rd in scoring. Peterman has thrown for 25 yards and an interception and has TE Cole Kmet as his leading receiver. RB David Montgomery has a pair of rushing TDs over his last five to go along with 780 rushing yards and five TDs.
Chicago is 32nd in defensive DVOA and has allowed 160 points over their previous five contests. The Bears are 31st in passing defense DVOA and 30th against the rush this season.
Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears Best Bet: Minnesota Vikings -7.5 points -110 (FanDuel)
The Vikings’ -7.5 points is your best bet for this game, which has odds of -110 at FanDuel.
The Vikings have been terrible against the spread this season but face an injury-riddled Bears side with a leaky defense and a QB making his 1st start. Fields is the Bears’ offense, and an ordinarily shaky Minnesota defense will stop Peterman and the Chicago offense early and often Sunday.
Vikings WR Justin Jefferson is coming off his worst game of the season but has a tasty matchup against a bad Chicago secondary. Cousins will call Jeffersons’ number, and the Bears won’t be able to stop him or RB Dalvin Cook from getting into the end zone multiple times and covering the -7.5 point spread.
