Gambling NewsSports Betting News

Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings Betting Preview

The Chicago Bears head north Sunday to face off against their division rivals, the Minnesota Vikings. For the Vikings, consider this game an episode of the TV series, Whose Line Is It Anyway, because the points mean absolutely nothing. The Vikings are locked into the sixth seed in the NFC playoff picture regardless of what happens Sunday.

The Bears aren’t going to make the playoffs at all, also regardless of the outcome. America’s bettors and hardcore fans might be the only people tuning in to Sunday’s matchup.

The Vikings will likely hold out some starters for the matchup, so this will be one of those classic Week 17 coin flips. Minnesota is obviously the more talented team, but the Bears starters may come out more motivated to grab the win headed into the offseason. No team wants to lose the last contest of the season. Headed into the game, Chicago is favored by three points, with an over/under of 36.

Playing for Pride

The Bears head into this matchup favored when they would likely be the underdog if Minnesota played its starters. Head coach Matt Nagy looks to end the season on a high note. The Bears held the Vikings to only six points when these two teams met in Week 4, beating them 16-6.

The Bears would love nothing more than to slow the momentum of their division rival heading into the playoffs, just to plant some seeds of doubt.

The highlight of the Bears’ offensive game has, without a doubt, been wideout Allen Robinson. Robinson has tallied over 1,000 yards and has seven scores on the season. He leads the team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns.

Defensively, the Bears rank fifth in all of the NFL. That side of the ball certainly hasn’t hurt them this season; it’s been the offense’s inability to consistently score. Maybe the offense can get it together against a squad playing several backups.

Heartbreakers

The Vikings lost a heartbreaker against the Packers last week, ensuring that they would locked in as the sixth seed in the NFC. A win would have kept them in the NFC North race and the home game that would come with the division title.

Now that they are playing against the Bears this week and locked in, Kirk Cousins won’t be playing, and Stefon Diggs may not play either. Instead, look for former Rams quarterback Sean Mannion to sling it around a bit. This team will likely have no fear in a game that gains it nothing.

Defensively, the Vikings rank sixth in the NFL, but I expect many of the defensive starters to take a game off as well. Expect an extremely evenly matched game with many backups on one side and second-tier starters on the other.

Offensively, the Vikings rank seventh in the league, but it’s the same story. Both sides of the ball for Minnesota should match up with a Chicago team that’s also playing for nothing fairly well.

Throwing Darts

Betting in Week 17, especially in a game that doesn’t matter much, is a lot like throwing darts while wearing a blindfold. You can try to predict where it lands, but chances are, you’ll have a tough time getting it close.

Chicago is the worst team in the NFL at covering the spread this season, with a record of only 4-11. Minnesota is 8-7 against the spread on the season.

Even with many backups on the field, I look for Minnesota to pull this one out by more than a touchdown. The Vikings win and cover, and if you have the guts, bet the over.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Check Also
Close