Rookie Coaches Go Head-to-Head
Rookie head coaches clash for the first time when the Chicago Bears travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings on Sunday.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has had a successful start to his tenure, with Minnesota going 3-1. O’Connell has picked up wins over NFC North foes Green Bay and Detroit. The Vikings opened the season with a 23-7 win over the Packers and defeated the Lions 28-24 in Week 3.
Bears newbie Matt Eberflus has had a less stellar start, as Chicago is 2-2. The Packers are the lone team Chicago has seen from its division, with the meeting resulting in a 27-10 loss for the Bears.
While Minnesota’s two division wins have placed them atop the NFC North, Chicago sits in third.
The Vikings have the second-best odds to win the NFC North with (+120) odds, while the Bears have the third-best chances with (+3300) odds.
Let’s check the latest NFL odds, stats, injury reports, and NFL lines for Bears vs Vikings. We’ve plenty of NFL Vegas odds for you to consider.
Bears’ Rushing Leads the Way
Chicago’s offense has gotten out to a slow start, one of the reasons the Bears are a two-loss team.
While the Bears’ defense has held opponents to an average of 19.3 points a game, its offense has averaged 16 points, breaking the 20-point mark once.
Quarterback Justin Fields has struggled to get much going in the air, going 34-for-67 for 471 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions. He also hasn’t gotten the best protection to start, getting sacked 16 times.
With Fields’ early struggles, the Bears’ passing offense sits last in the NFL, averaging 97.5 yards a game.
However, where the passing game lacks, the ground game has helped make up some of the difference, as Chicago’s 177.3 rush yards a game is third in the league. Their rushing game has a one-two punch of running backs David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert.
Montgomery has rushed 35 times for 159 yards; however, after he went down with an ankle injury in Week 3, it has been all Herbert.
Herbert’s 52 rushes for 317 yards and three touchdowns lead the ground game, with two of those touchdowns being key in Chicago’s Week 3 win over the Texans.
With Montogomery questionable heading into Chicago’s matchup with Minnesota, Herbert will likely be the key to the team’s offensive success.
Vikings’ Passing Game Improves
While Chicago’s offense relies on the run game, Minnesota thrives on its passing.
Unlike the Bears, the Vikings’ offense has gotten off to a stronger start. Aside from their seven-point performance, the Vikings have averaged 26.3 points in their three wins.
Minnesota, averaging 344 yards a game, has gotten a good portion of its production from its receiving game, as the team averages 246 passing yards a game.
Although wide receiver Justin Jefferson is the team’s No. 1, the Vikings also have strong options in Adam Thielen and KJ Osborn. Jefferson, who leads the team with 28 receptions for 393 yards, was a major factor in two of Minnesota’s wins.
In Minnesota’s season-opening win against the Packers, Jefferson had nine catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns. Though he had a down couple of games the two following weeks, he bounced back in Week 4 against the New Orleans Saints, recording 10 catches for 147 yards, also rushing for a score.
In the absence of Jefferson in their Week 3 win over the Lions, Thielen and Osborn stepped up for the Vikings. Osborn led the way with five receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown, while Thielen had six catches for 61 yards and a score.
With Jefferson getting involved once again and Thielen and Osborn contributing, the Vikings’ passing attack should continue to help Minnesota find success.
Bears vs Vikings Game Injuries
Bears vs Vikings Head-to-Head
With the two being in the same division, the Bears and Vikings compete twice every season. The teams have met 121 times, with the Vikings leading the series 63-56-2. Minnesota won both games against Chicago last season, a 17-9 victory in Chicago in December 2021 and a 31-17 win at home in January 2022.
Bears vs Vikings Game Information
- Date: Sunday, Oct. 9th
- Time: 1 p.m. ET
- Location: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
- How to Watch Bears vs. Vikings? ESPN
Bears vs Vikings Live Stream: NFL Game Pass
Bears vs Vikings Betting Lines
Bears vs Vikings Prediction
With the Vikings coming off their international trip in London, the team may get out to a slow start against the Bears. However, with Chicago struggling offensively, Minnesota should have time to find its groove.
The Bears have the stronger defense of the two, but with Minnesota’s offensive weapons, stopping the Vikings might prove difficult.
With the game in Minnesota, expect the Vikings to cover with a win at home.
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