The idea that the Chicago Bears will make the playoffs and potentially win the division is getting more real by the week. After coming back down by 10 points against the New York Giants in the fourth quarter thanks to the heroics of Caleb Williams, they are 6-3 (3-2 road record), tied for first in the division with the Detroit Lions (6-3). Yet, they’ll need to win some games in the division, as they’re the only team in the NFC North that hasn’t won a divisional game (0-2). They’ll have a chance to do that and avenge their collapse in Week 1, as they’ll head back on the road to take on the Minnesota Vikings (4-5, 1-3 home record). Kick-off is slated for Noon Central time this Sunday on Fox, with Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady on the call.
It’s been a bit of a roller coaster for the Vikings over the last couple of weeks. 2nd-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy came back in Week 9 against the Detroit Lions, and they held on for an upset win on the road, 27-24. McCarthy played well in his return, scoring three total touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) and only needing to put up 143 passing yards in the win. Week 10 against the Baltimore Ravens was a much different story for the Vikings and McCarthy. While he upped his passing total to 248 yards, he was asked to throw it 42 times after only throwing it 25 times the week before. That resulted in a stat line of 20/42 passing (47.6%), two interceptions, a paltry 18.5 quarterback rating, and a 54.5 passer rating, in their 27-19 loss. Justin Jefferson isn’t having quite his typical All-Pro season. While he’s 8th in the league in receiving yards (686), he has only two touchdowns and 51 catches (t-13th in the league).
Everyone by now knows what happened the last two teams saw each other on the Monday Night opener. The Bears blew a 17-6 fourth-quarter lead, with the Vikings scoring 21 points on two McCarthy passing touchdowns and a 14-yard rushing touchdown, which effectively sealed the game. It was the third straight loss to the Vikings that the Bears have had dating back to last season. The last Bears win came in an ugly Monday Night game in Minnesota, 12-10, where Cairo Santos had four field goals. The all-time series has heavily favored the Vikings since the 2020 season. Before that, the Vikings led the all-time series 60-56-2; however, since the 2020 season, the Bears have gone 2-9 in games against Minnesota. They now lead the all-time series 69-58-2.
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