MNF PREVIEW: MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT CHICAGO BEARS

BY ADAM GREENE

Poor Monday Night Football. It’s happened again. What looked like a solid match up in the preseason with two former playoff teams from the previous two seasons has turned into a dumpster fire thanks to the complete implosion of the Minnesota Vikings. Still, it’s on the schedule and there’s nothing we can do about it now as the Vikes travel to Soldier Field to take on their old rivals, the Chicago Bears.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT CHICAGO BEARS (+3, O/U: 43)

Location: Solider Field, Chicago, Ill.

Kickoff: Nov. 16, 8:15 p.m. EST

Broadcast: ESPN

THE HISTORY

This will be the 119^th meeting between the Bears and Vikings since Minnesota entered the NFL in 1961. The Vikes have a 60-56-2 advantage in the all-time series in spite of a five game Chicago win streak going back to Nov. 18, 2018. Prior to that, the Vikes won eight of the previous 11. And here’s an interesting fact. In spite of Minnesota’s four trips to the Super Bowl and perennial playoff appearances and the Bear 1985 Super Bowl Championship and multiple playoff appearances over the last 50 years, these two teams have met just once in the postseason, a 35-18 Chicago win in 1995.

The Bears downed the Vikings 21-19 in their last contest on Dec. 29, 2019 thanks in large part to Minnesota resting starters for the playoffs. Since-benched Chicago QB Mitchell Trubisky threw for 207 yards and David Montgomery ran for 113 and a touchdown. Sean Mannion got the start for the Vikes, passing for 126 yards and throwing two picks. Mike Boone ran for 148 yards and a TD.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (3-5)

All the bad luck that befell other teams to help propel the Vikings to the playoffs last year has snapped back karmically in 2020. Head coach Mike Zimmer, fresh off a contract extension, is now on the hot seat as a team that thought it would at least compete for the NFC North is in real contention for a Top 10 NFL Draft pick.

They have won two straight, including a 34-20 triumph over the Detroit Lions last week and a job-saving 28-22 win over the Green Bay Packers the week before that. Kirk Cousins passed for 220 yards and three touchdowns against Detroit, but it was running back Dalvin Cook who won the day not only for Minnesota, but likely your fantasy football team as he piled up 220 yards and two scores.

CHICAGO BEARS (5-4)

The Bears are riding a three game losing streak and there’s not much they could have done to change it. The games they’ve lost, to the Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans, have just been match ups in which they were outclassed. The fact that they lost to the Saints and Titans by one score shows that this is a decent team, just not good enough to compete with the best of the NFC or AFC.

Against the Titans, Nick Foles had a day, throwing for 335 yards and two touchdowns. He had no help on the ground as Chicago ran for just 55 yards as a team.

THE PICK

While the Bears have come up short against good teams, Minnesota is not a good team. I feel like this spread is based more on their silly upset of the Packers and what they did last year as opposed to what they’ve shown on the field this season. Chicago has played well, even in losses, and is just a better team top to bottom than Minny. Plus, Matt Nagy seems to have Zimmer’s number.  Bears 24, Vikings 20

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