Bears vs. Vikings Prediction: Chance to play spoiler |
Now that the Bears have officially been eliminated from Playoff contention, it's time for them to start focusing on next season while remaining competitive. Of the Bears' remaining four games, three are against NFC North foes, with the first of those three coming tonight against the Minnesota Vikings.
Had the Seattle Seahawks found a way to beat the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, the Bears could play spoiler against the Vikings. However, with the Packers winning, Minnesota is officially in the playoffs. However, the Bears can play spoiler in another way, as the Vikings are currently tied with the Detroit Lions for the NFC North lead. The Bears would love to beat the Vikings to push them down a peg, but that will be no easy task. Tonight, Minnesota will experience white-out conditions, making for a hostile environment. Here are some things to look for in the matchup:
Caleb Williams has already been sacked an NFL-high 54 times this season, and with three good defenses coming up out of four games, look for that to continue. Minnesota is the one defense to look out for tonight, as they not only lead the NFL in takeaways but rank in the top five when it comes to getting after the quarterback. That may be hard to believe when you look at the first time these teams met when Caleb Williams was sacked just twice against Minnesota and threw for nearly 350 yards. Part of that was the game plan that Brian Flores put into play as he elected to blitz less against the Bears than any other team, and it nearly cost him. With one game of Williams on tape from the last time these teams met, look for Flores to be far more aggressive this time than last time, which could force Williams to be on the move. Throw in another Bears injury to their offensive line in Braxton Jones, and the pressure could become an issue tonight for Chicago. If Williams is to succeed tonight, he needs to get the ball out quickly to avoid the pressure or, at the very least, use his legs to his advantage to counter the blitz. Either way, things will be challenging tonight as the Vikings will come out swinging against a battered Bears offensive line.
It's no secret that the Bears were manhandled by the 49ers last week to the point where both Thomas Brown and Eric Washington called them out. They weren't physical at all against the 49ers and were punished because of it. This week allows for a reset, but it will be a long day if they don't come into this week ready to be physical. It's no secret that Minnesota has had a great season. They are now riding a season-best six-game winning streak. They are also coming off their best offensive game of the season, in which Sam Darnold threw for five touchdowns, and the offense scored 42 points. He did take three or four more sacks, which has been an issue over the past month and something the Bears need to capitalize on. Minnesota may not be your typical run-first team, but they are physically active on both sides of the ball. It will be up to the Bears to match that physicality, or this will be another one of those games where Chicago falls behind by multiple scores and can't recover.
DJ Moore has struggled in the 2024 season, which is cause for concern going forward. After putting the league on notice last season in his first year with the Bears, Moore has taken a massive step back and is on pace for the second-worst season of his career. A big reason for that was the lack of an offense under Shane Waldron, but even with Brown taking over the playcalling duties, Moore hasn't been the same guy he was a season ago. You have seen some flashes of his 2023 version in recent weeks, with the last Minnesota game being the best version of himself. That was the only time the Bears leaned on Moore offensively, and it paid off quickly. For the Bears' offense to be at its best, Moore must play like he did in 2023. His ability to pick up yards after the catch while stretching the field is massive for the Bears' success. If there was a game where Moore could do it, this is the week, as the Vikings have had a hard time defending him the past two seasons. The Moore family doesn’t mess around when it comes to Christmas decorations 🎄
As expected, the NFC North has been the best division in football this season, and the games have been close more often than not. Records aside, the Bears and Vikings have always played each other tough, and I don't expect that to change this week. Whether the Bears win or lose, they will give Minnesota all they can handle, as this game will once again come down to the final drive. However, the Vikings will find a way to get the job done yet again as they come away with the plays they need to make down the stretch to pick up a 24-20 win.More offensive line issues
Be more physical
Keep feeding DJ Moore the ball
Prediction: Vikings win 24-21
