Vikings vs. Bears Final Score Predictions: Experts weigh in on the fascinating battle between Brian Flores and Ben Johnson
This is the second game in the NFC North for the Minnesota Vikings, and both them and the Chicago Bears are 1-0.
The second NFC North game of the season is happening in Week 2 as the Minnesota Vikings are set to take on the Chicago Bears.
Last season, the Vikings faced off against the Bears at Soldier Field in Week 1, with J.J. McCarthy putting up 21 points in the fourth quarter to get the win on Monday Night Football. The second meeting in November at U.S. Bank Stadium was a closer game, with the Bears hitting a last-second field goal for a 19-17 walk-off victory.
Who will get the win on Sunday afternoon? Our NFC North beat writers were split for last week’s Vikings game against the Green Bay Packers and it’s not much different.
Vikings 27, Bears 19
When you look at both of these teams, they feel significantly different. The Vikings are a defensive juggernaut that only allowed 22 points and forced two fourth-quarter turnovers against the Green Bay Packers. They did that despite allowing 419 yards. Brian Flores is fine giving up yards, even chunks of them, because he knows they will hold up once they get into the red zone.
The real intrigue here is simple: how much will Flores blitz Caleb Williams? He’s blitzed him less at Soldier Field than he has at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Overall, I do think the Vikings will hold the Bears to less points than many expect. In his four matchups against the Vikings, Williams has only put up 82 points, with arguably 18 of those coming in garbage time. Give me the Vikings to hold the Bears back and get the win.
– Tyler Forness, A to Z Minnesota
Bears 27, Vikings 17
After scoring 59 points in the season opener, 27 points might seem like a step down for the Chicago Bears’ offense, but scoring 27 points against Brian Flores’ defense would be no easy feat. Only three teams scored 27+ points against the Vikings in 2025 and this would be the most points the Bears have scored against Minnesota under Ben Johnson.
I don’t think Week 1 was a fluke. I think this offense is legit and ridiculously hard to defend, even for a coordinator like Flores. The Bears will still have to claw for every point against this defense, but I see it happening. On the other side of the ball, I see Minnesota’s offense struggling this time around against much improved performance from Dennis Allen’s defense after allowing 37 points last week. This is Ben Johnson’s chance to really send a statement about who the Chicago Bears actually are against a division rival.
– Kole Noble, A to Z Chicago
Bears 27, Vikings 21
The Bears’ offense is insanely good, and the Bears’ defense is insanely bad. But while the Vikings did have an impressive win over the Packers in Week 1, it looked much more like a byproduct of Green Bay’s problems than a great performance by Minnesota. Against a much better offensive line and potentially with Carson Wentz still as the quarterback, it’s hard to me to predict a Vikings win here. The Bears have some of their own problems, but Ben Johnson is probably good enough, and has personnel good enough, to overcome what Brian Flores will present him in Week 2.
– Wendell Ferreira, A to Z Green Bay
Vikings 28, Bears 24
The Bears had a big Week 1 putting up 59 points against the Panthers defense that finished 32nd in defensive DVOA in 2025. Now they have to try to beat a Vikings defense that finished 3rd and just shutdown the Packers Week 1. They should be able to do the same to the Bears. The only question is who plays quarterback for the Vikings and can he do enough against a Bears defense that didn’t really impress Week 1? I’m taking the Vikings, still.
– Mike Payton, A to Z Detroit
Final Prediction for Vikings vs. Bears
Last week, our NFC North beat writers were split on the Vikings against the Green Bay Packers, and this week is no different. It’s a fascinating matchup, and the curious element will be the Bears’ offense. Are they who we think they are, or a flash in the pan like the 2024 New Orleans Saints with Klint Kubiak?
