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The Minnesota Vikings travel to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears on Monday night. The Vikings are looking to win their third straight gamers while the Bears hope to snap a three-game losing spell against the visitors.
Minnesota defeated the Detroit Lions 34-20 last week while Chicago dropped a 24-17 contest to the Tennessee Titans last Sunday. The Bears have won the last four head-to-head meetings between these two teams including a 21-19 victory in December 2019. The last time that the Vikings have beaten the Bears was on New Year’s eve in 2017.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings’ season looked dead after a 1-5 start but Minnesota is crawling back in the standings after picking up back to back victories. First, the Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers on the road, then last week, they upended the Lions at home. On Monday, they will be looking for a 3-0 sweep against their division rivals as they travel to the Windy City.
Running back Dalvin Cook rushed for 206 yards on 22 carries with 22 touchdowns to lead the Minnesota offense. Cook has now rushed for 858 yards this season, the most in the NHL. His 12 rushing touchdowns also lead the league as does his 13 total touchdowns. In four out of his last five games played, Cook has rushed for at least 130 yards with nine touchdowns during that period.
Minnesota’s offense is ranked 12th in the league at 27.1 points per game this season. The Vikings’ defense is ranked 25th in the league at 29.3 points per game allowed. They have conceded at least 20 points in seven of eight games played this season. The Vikings gave up 421 against Detroit but they forced three turnovers that helped them win the game. Minnesota’s defense has produced 16 sacks, six picks, and three fumble recoveries on the year.
Chicago Bears
The Bears have squandered a 5-1 start as they have suffered three consecutive losses. Chicago hopes to avoid falling to .500 for the first time this season. The Bears have not only surrendered the NFC North lead but have the Lions and Vikings breathing heavily behind their backs.
Chicago quarterback Nick Foles had a big game in their loss to the Titans. Foles completed 36 of 52 passes for 335 yards with two touchdowns. He has thrown for close to 870 yards with four touchdowns in his last three games but the Bears have lost all those games. Chicago’s rushing game has struggled with David Montgomery rushing for only 30 yards on 14 carries against the Titans. Montgomery has topped 58 yards just once in his last five assignments.
The Chicago defense allowed more than 20 points just twice in their first seven games played but have conceded at least 24 in their last three assignments, all of them losses. That defense gave up only 228 yards against the Titans but a 63-yard fumble return for a touchdown and a 40-yard TD pass from Tennessee proved too much for their ineffective offense. The Bears have 20 sacks, 5 interceptions, and four fumble recoveries this season.
Who Wins?
Minnesota is 4-8 SU in their last 12 games played. The Vikings are 2-2 SU in their four games played on the road. Chicago is 2-4 SU in their last six games played. The Bears are 2-2 SU in their last four games played at home, 5-1 SU in their last six games played against the NFC North division. Head to head, the Bears are 4-1 SU in their last five games played against the Vikings. Chicago is 16-3 SU in its last 19 home games against Minnesota.
The Vikings have been inconsistent this season but have played well enough in their last five games played. Minnesota is 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS during that period and their defense has held their last three out of their last five opponents to below 25 points. Dalvin Cook is coming off a 206-yard effort and should be the key to Minnesota’s offense in this game.
Chicago has been free-falling since starting the season with a 5-1 SU record. The Bears have been averaging a miserable 16.7 points per game in their last three assignments while their season scoring average of 19.8 is 4th from the bottom of the league. Nick Foles has been sacked 12 times in their last three games and would appreciate some help here.
The Vikings have been the better team this season and they also have the much better offense than Chicago. The Bears simply don’t have enough offensive weapons to match Minnesota in this game. I like the Vikings to come out victorious on the road.
Prediction: Minnesota Vikings
Other Bets To Make
The Vikings are 5-1 ATS in their last six games played. Minnesota is 5-2 ATS in their last seven games played on the road, and 5-2 ATS in their last seven games played against the NFC North division. The Bears are 7-13 ATS in their last 20 games played. Chicago is 3-2 ATS in their last five games played at home, and 4-1 ATS in their last five games played against the NFC, and 1-4 ATS in their last five games played in November. Head to head, the Bears are 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games played against the Vikings.
Vikings
-3 (-125)
Bears
+3 (+105)
Odds from BetOnline as of 11/16/2020
The Vikings are riding on Dalvin Cook’s success right now and he takes a lot of pressure off Kirk Cousins. Minnesota’s defense has been playing well as of late and Foles hasn’t gotten the protection that he needs to be effective. Cook’s running game and Chicago’s inability to protect Foles will be the keys to this game. Give me the Vikings for as long as this spread doesn’t go more than three points.
Prediction: Vikings -3
The total has gone over in five out of the last six games played by the Vikings. The over is 4-1 in their last five games played against the NFC. The total has gone under in five out of the last six games played by the Bears. The under is 12-3 in their last 15 games played at home. Head to head, the total has gone under in 12 out of the last 17 games played by these two teams.
Over
43.5 (-110)
Under
43.5 (-110)
Odds from BetOnline as of 11/16/2020
The Vikings have seen the total go under 50 points only once in their last six games played. The Bears’ offense has been inutile but they should be able to score 20 points against the Vikings. You might argue that Minnesota leans so much on their rushing attack to get offense and that could eat up plenty of time. However, this team has scored 62 points in their last two games played and they should have more than enough weapons to score 24 or more points against a tired Chicago defense.
Prediction: Over 43.5
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