Skip to content

Ad Disclosure

Bears vs Vikings Picks, Prediction and Odds for Monday Night Football (Week 15)

Chris Amberley

By Chris Amberley in NFL Football

Published:


Sam Darnold celebrates a TD versus Atlanta.
Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates his touchdown to wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
  • The Vikings are 7-point home favorites over the Bears on Monday Night Football in Week 15
  • Minnesota has won six straight, while the Bears have dropped seven in a row
  • Check out the Bears vs Vikings picks, prediction and odds for MNF

Given how they’ve played all season, it’s hard to believe the Minnesota Vikings’ (11-2, 6-1 home) win total was 6.5 games. Minnesota flew over that number before the mid-way point of November, and have been been winning ever since. Online sportsbooks don’t expect any letdown from the Purple and Gold on Monday Night, as they host the hapless Bears (4-9, 0-6 away) as massive chalk in the latest football betting lines.

Chicago Bears vs Minnesota Vikings Odds

Teams Spread Moneyline Total
Chicago Bears +7 (-110) +260 O 44 (-110)
Minnesota Vikings -7 (-110) -305 U 44 (-110)

The Vikings are currently favored by 7 points in a contest with a total of 44. This spread has waffled between -6 and -7 all week, with the bulk of the betting action backing Minnesota. Sam Darnold and Co. are currently drawing 72% of the spread wagers and 71% of the ATS handle.

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK
Get Up To $1,500 Paid Back in Bonus Bets

21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (US); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ); 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA); 1-800-981-0023 (PR). First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Rewards are non-withdrawable bonus bets that expire in 7 days. See BetMGM.com for Terms. US promotional offers not available in MS, NV, ON, or PR.
LOCK IN PROMO
CODE: SBD1500
CODE: SBD1500
SIGNUP BONUS
GET $1,500
BACK

BET NOW
Odds as of December 15 at BetMGM. Be sure to check out the best BetMGM promo code before placing a bet on Monday Night Football.

Total-wise, it’s a major pros vs Joes matchup according to the NFL public betting percentages. 85% of the over/under tickets are on over 44, but those wagers only make up 40% of the handle. 15% of the wagers are accounting for 60% of the total money, and anytime the money outweighs the tickets by that much, it’s a good indication it’s the result of sharp action.

Kickoff for this primetime clash is set for 8 pm ET from U.S. Bank Stadium, in Minneapolis, MN, with ABC and ESPN+ providing the broadcast coverage.

Vikings Offense On a Roll

The Vikings enter play as a top-6 contender in the Super Bowl odds. They grade out fifth per Pro Football Focus on offense and 12th on defense, while Sam Darnold is the fifth highest graded passer.

Darnold and the Minny passing game has been on fire as of late. He threw 5 TD in a blowout victory over the Falcons last week, giving him 11 TD and zero INT over the last four games. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison accounted for all five touchdowns last week, and each cleared 100 yards. The duo is arguably the best wideout paring in the league and should give the Chicago defense fits.

The Bears are fresh off allowing 325 passing yards and 2 TD to Brock Purdy last week, and were torched for 330 yards and two scores by Darnold prior to Thanksgiving. They’ve yielded an average of 30 points over their last three contests, and haven’t won since October 13th. That’s a span of seven games, but it’s not just the defense that’s been at fault.

Sloppy Play and Slow Starts

Chicago’s offense has been inconsistent to say the least. Last week, they were outscored 24-0 in the first half, mustering only 4 total yards. Caleb Williams tried to salvage some respect by throwing two TD passes in garbage time, but the final numbers were ugly. He threw for only 134 yards on 23 attempts. Williams lost a fumble and was sacked seven times, bringing his sack total to an NFL-worst 56.

The Bears offense produced a three-week sample of positivity early in the season, but since then it’s been a nightmare. Chicago was scored 20 points or fewer in six of seven outings during their skid, failing to reach 16 points four times. They grade out 26th on that side of the ball per PFF, while Williams was a worse passing grade than Daniel Jones and Deshaun Watson.

The lack of offensive production has put the Bears consistently in an early hole. They have a -43 point differential in the first quarter, and a -64 point differential in the opening half. That’s forced them to abandon the run in catch-up mode, making the offense entirely predictable.

Bears vs Vikings Prediction

Don’t be fooled by the result of Chicago and Minnesota’s early meeting. The Vikings squeaked out a 30-27 overtime win, but dominated the game for the first three and a half quarters. Minnesota built a 24-10 lead, but took their foot off the gas. That allowed the Bears to score 10 points and recover a miraculous onside kick to force OT.

Chicago has since made a change at head coach, relieving Matt Eberflus of his duties. The problem is that he was actually a good defensive mind and now interim boss Thomas Brown is in over his head. DC Eric Washington, a first-time play caller, was embarrassed by Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers last week, and we should expect a similar outcome on Monday.

No play caller has been more difficult to prepare for than the Vikes Kevin O’Connell, and he’ll exploit every hole in the Bears defense. Minnesota has rattled off a 6-1 record at home, covering in five of those victories, while posting a +61 point differential.

Bears vs Vikings Picks:

Chris Amberley
Chris Amberley

Sports Writer

As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.

NFL NBA MLB NHL Golf NCAAF NCAAB Tennis

Recommended Reading