by Chuck Sommers
Saturday, Jan 07, 2023
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Venue: Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
Where to watch: FOX
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Vikings -6; Vikings -275, Bears +230; O/U 43
FanDuel: Vikings -5.5; Vikings -260, Bears +215; O/U 42.5
BetMGM: Vikings -6; Vikings -275, Bears +220; O/U 42.5
Caesars: Vikings -6; Vikings -278, Bears +222; O/U 42.5
Season record
Vikings: 12-4 (Clinched NFC North)
Bears: 3-13
We’re coming down the home stretch of the NFL season and there’s still a lot left to get excited for on your TV screen (or your streaming device if you’re like me and watch Sunday Ticket on a Fire Stick. That works, too). Nevertheless, the final few weeks of the regular season are going to be hectic for everyone on the field, but just as much as everyone off it. You’re probably going to need to figure out which plays are the best ones in terms of teams sitting the star players for the playoff advantage, or which teams are going all in for the final playoff push. If you need that extra push, trust that our champion handicappers can get the job done for you. Matt Fargo has a 17-9-0 run over the last 30 days in the NFL. Brian Bitler has continued to stay consistent, despite a wild, unpredictable season, by going 16-9-0. Do you want a piece of this action? Make sure to stay locked to bigal.com and follow our champion handicappers so you can be a champion, too!
Vikings - Bears preview, analysis and prediction
Last week
Vikings: lost 41-17 at Packers
Bears: lost 41-10 at Lions
I can understand why the Minnesota Vikings would be favored by more than a touchdown in this regular season finale against the Chicago Bears. The Vikings really don't have much to play for right now, Chicago will not have Justin fields for this game, and the Vikings really have nothing to play for so even if they do decide to play their backups they are a much more talented team than what Chicago will offer.
The Vikings are essentially locked into the No. 3 seed and will likely be facing the New York Giants unless anything drastic happens in the next 48 hours. Given the fact that the Vikings have nothing to play for and that the bears are going to be down their young star quarterback, this one really has all the makings of why even bother? The Vikings are laying 7.5 in this matchup in most books with the total dropping down to 42.5 over the course of the last few days.
An argument can be made that the Vikings need every bit of practice leading into the playoffs after what happened last Sunday in the 41-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers. It was probably the worst performance of the season against their biggest rivals in a game in which that further proved that Minnesota might be frauds going into the playoffs. Even the fact that they were getting 3.5 in that game, Minnesota did not have a great showing offensively, most notably quarterback Kirk cousins who threw 3 interceptions in that game period the defense played about as well as you could ask for especially from a fantasy standpoint, but Minnesota just once again did not look like a perennial Super Bowl contender.
I'm not quite sure when we're at the point where we can actually say that the Vikings are no longer Super Bowl contenders but it might have to be now. Minnesota has failed to cover in its last four against the spread and has not looked great to close this season. Matter of fact, Minnesota has not looked great since getting thrashed 40-3 to the Dallas Cowboys on November 20th. All the wins have been by at least one score, there's nothing new there, and it's just been one giant mess after another.
Chicago is on a 9 game losing streak and they've been right there for the majority of them. They just have not looked overall good when needed outside of keeping games close with their young quarterback. Fields not playing really hinders what Chicago can do as the bears have gone 2-7 against the spread in the last nine.
Prediction
I would stay away from this game if it were me, but overall I do think the Vikings are probably going to win just because of Chicago not having a direction on offense. If Fields was playing, I could see Chicago finally getting a win and closing out on a high note but right now it just does not seem like that's the way to go. Vikings 21, Bears 10
Betting trends
Bears are 11-21 ATS in all games the last 2 seasons.
Bears are 12-27 ATS after allowing 7 or more yards per play in the last game since 1992.
Vikings are 6-17 ATS off 4 straight overs since 1992.
Statistical leaders
Vikings:
Passing: Kirk Cousins – 4,322 yards, 28 TD, 14 INT
Rushing: Dalvin Cook – 1,136 yards, 8 TD
Receiving: Justin Jefferson – 124 catches, 1,771 yards, 8 TD
Defense: Harrison Smith – 5 INT
Bears:
Passing: Justin Fields – 2,242 yards, 17 TD, 11 INT
Rushing: Justin Fields – 1,143 yards, 8 TD
Receiving: Cole Kmet – 487 yards, 6 TD
Defense: Kyler Gordon – 3 INT
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
