Bears vs. Vikings Final Score Predictions: Will J.J. McCarthy take a leap forward or will Caleb Williams finally beat Minnesota?
The NFC North has a marquee matchup on Sunday afternoon.
The NFC North has a marquee matchup on Sunday afternoon, as the Minnesota Vikings are set to take on the Chicago Bears.
The division is a close one so far. Even though the Vikings have a 4-5 record, they are only two games behind the NFC North lead, and they have already secured wins over the Bears and Detroit Lions. The Bears are tied for the division lead, but lose the tiebreaker to the Lions after a 30+ point loss in Week 2.
When taking a look at the matchup, there are multiple different ways this game can go, and it will be a crucial one in the NFC North race. Who will get the win? We got our beat writers together to predict Sunday’s game.
Vikings 27, Bears 17
This will be a fascinating game for the Vikings. They are coming off a two-game stretch where they beat the Detroit Lions at Ford Field, but a litany of mistakes ultimately cost them a win against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
This game could be a classic NFC North battle between the two teams that gets ugly and ends up being a power game. If that ends up happening, the Vikings are well-suited to win that game, especially with their advantages up front. They pulverized the Lions two weeks ago and will be primed to win that kind of game.
Plus, J.J. McCarthy is ready for a breakout game. He’s doing everything right between the ears; now the mechanics need to match.
– Tyler Forness, A to Z Minnesota
Bears 27, Vikings 20
I’m predicting another one-score game between these two teams, this time with Chicago getting the upper hand. It’s still not the complete game head coach Ben Johnson is looking for from his squad, but I can see the Bears playing some inspired football to get some revenge for the Week 1 loss and earn their first divisional win of the season.
Both teams look drastically different from the first time they played in the season opener. The changes for Chicago lately have been positive, with a strong run game carrying the offense, and two additions in Austin Booker and C.J. Gardner-Johnson making an impact on defense. To me, it comes down to the turnover battle against Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
If Chicago can get multiple takeaways, I have full faith in Bears quarterback Caleb Williams winning another game late in the fourth if the ball is in his hands.
– Kole Noble, A to Z Chicago
Vikings 21, Bears 17
The Vikings and Bears are actually similar teams, more than you would expect at first glance. They have young quarterbacks, a creative and offensive-minded head coach, and experienced former head coaches serving as defensive coordinators. Both defenses are underperforming compared to preseason expectations, and the quarterbacks have had their fair share of ups and downs. Caleb Williams has shown much more than J.J. McCarthy at this point, and the Bears’ running game is much more reliable — albeit the Vikings’ one improves with Aaron Jones getting back.
DVOA shows how closely stacked these teams are — the Vikings are 22nd, and the Bears are 25th. Minnesota is 27th on offense and 17th on defense, while Chicago is 16th on offense and 28th on defense. Obviously, the Vikings had a few games with Carson Wentz in that calculus, which is ultimately why I give them a slight edge.
I expect Brian Flores to design a highly complex game plan to make Williams’ life miserable. While the Vikings’ offense isn’t necessarily consistent, it can take advantage of Chicago’s weaknesses with an explosive group of playmakers.
– Wendell Ferreira, A to Z Green Bay
Vikings 28, Bears 24
The Bears have been on a little bit of a run lately, but it’s hard to watch this team and think that they’re just beating teams without a little bit of luck and the benefits of their opponents making mistakes.
I don’t trust that defense at all, but I do trust the Vikings’ defense. That’s why I think the Vikings win this game, but it should be a tight one.
– Mike Payton, A to Z Detroit
Final Prediction for Vikings vs. Bears
Three of our NFC North writers believe the Vikings will win this game, with the only dissent being the Bears writer, Noble. Our writers predicted an average score of 24-21.25. That’s right in line with where the sportsbooks have the game, as DraftKings Sportsbook has the Vikings as three-point favorites
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