MINNESOTA VIKINGS VS. CHICAGO BEARS EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTIONS — December 16, 2024

MINNESOTA VIKINGS VS. CHICAGO BEARS EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTIONS — December 16, 2024 — Greetings, football fans. Welcome back to our NFL coverage here at Godzilla Wins. One of the games on tap from Sunday’s slate features the Minnesota Vikings (11-2 SU, 8-4-1 ATS) hosting the woeful Chicago Bears (4-9 SU, 6-5-2 ATS).

Here is a look at which squad has the edge going into this matchup and why.

Kickoff

When: Monday, December 16, 2024 @ 8:00 PM ET

Where: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN

TV: ABC

Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears Odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings

Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears — In-Season Stats & Betting Trends

After back-to-back losses against the Detroit Lions and the Los Rams, the Vikings roll into this matchup riding a season-high six-game winning streak, including a 42-21 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 14. That game was tied at 21 apiece entering the fourth quarter before Minnesota reeled off 21 unanswered points to coast to an easy victory. Sam Darnold turned in another solid performance, throwing for 347 yards (including 250 after halftime) with five TDs and no interceptions. It was the Vikings’ first 40-point game in three seasons.

On the other side of this matchup, the Bears are a complete mess, to put it nicely. They come into this divisional tilt amid a seven-game losing streak. Going into last week’s game against the 49ers, the Bears had lost their previous contests by an average of 7.7 points. That would not be the case against the San Francisco 49ers, though. The Niners raced out to a 24-0 lead at the break. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Chicago produced just one first down and was outgained by a 319-4 margin, representing the ninth-largest discrepancy since 1991. Riding the heels of a dominant first-half performance, the Niners coasted to a 38-13 romp, handing the Bears their seventh straight loss.

“We got our (butt) kicked today,” Caleb Williams said after the game. “There’s no way around it. We got it handed to us. Offense, defense special teams, we have to come out and be better.”

The good news is Williams has not thrown an interception in seven games. But on the other hand, he was sacked seven times. His 56 sacks this season is the highest total for any Bears quarterback since the AFL-NFL merger.

Will the Vikings roll to their seventh straight victory, or will the Bears miraculously get a much-needed win? Now that we have set the stage for this NFC North showdown, let’s examine the betting trends for both teams.

Hey, make sure you check out our picks on the GW Daily Picks page.

Vikings vs. Bears Spread Analysis

The Vikings enter this matchup as a seven-point favorite (per OddsShark.com). Here’s a look at how the teams have performed against the spread this season.

• The Vikings are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven outings against NFC North opponents.
• Minnesota is just 4-12-2 ATS in its last 18 December contests.
• In their last seven home games, the Vikings are 5-2 against the spread.
• Meanwhile, the Bears are 5-2 ATS in their previous seven matchups against Minnesota.
• Chicago is 2-4-1 in its last seven games overall.
• The Bears have covered the spread only once in their previous eight road games (1-6-1).

Prediction: Minnesota Vikings (-7)

Vikings vs. Bears Over/Under Prediction

The projected scoring total for this matchup is 43.5 points (via OddsShark.com). Here’s why going with “under” is the smart choice.

• The total has gone UNDER four times in the Vikings’ last six games.
• The UNDER total is 5-2 in Minnesota’s previous seven home contests.
• The total has gone UNDER five times in the Bears’ last seven outings.
• In Chicago’s previous nine road games,  the UNDER total has prevailed eight times.

Prediction: UNDER 43.5 points

Vikings vs. Bears Player Prop Bet

Fresh off his five-touchdown performance against the Falcons, Sam Darnold is the key player to watch for the home team in this matchup. He currently has -115 odds of exceeding 249.5 passing yards and -115 odds of finishing with less than 249.5 yards (via DraftKings). Let’s see how his numbers stack up against the projected yards total (via StatMuse).

• During the season, Darnold is averaging 253.8 yards per game.
• Darnold has suited up in seven home games this season. In those contests, he averages 251.3 yards per outing.
• In eight matchups against NFC teams this season, Darnold is averaging 270.3 yards per game.
• Darnold has averaged 289.5 yards per outing across his last four starts, exceeding the projected yards total for this matchup twice during that stretch.

Prediction: Sam Darnold OVER 249.5 passing yards