Bears vs. Vikings Predictions, Picks & Odds: Monday Night Football, 12/16
The NFL Week 15 slate is quite an interesting one, as there are just three division rivalry games, and they’re all prime time games. One of which is in Minnesota with the Vikings hosting the Chicago Bears, and we’ve broken down our Bears vs. Vikings predictions for the classic NFC North clash.
You’ll also be able to make the most of any Bears vs. Vikings picks with a unique, two-part FanDuel Sportsbook sign up bonus!
Bears vs. Vikings Predictions for Monday Night Football, NFL Week 15
If it feels like we just saw the Bears and Vikings face off, that’s because it was quite recently - the weekend following the Thanksgiving Day games. It was quite an epic overtime matchup, so we’re hoping for just as much excitement this time around.
In fact, we’re predicting exactly that with how often Minnesota has been involved in close games. While they were able to pull off a blowout this past weekend, they had been involved in one-score games in four of the five games prior.
Add on top of that Chicago’s ability to lose at the last second, like the infamous hail mary that seemed to send their season in a downward spiral, we expect a thriller. With all that in mind, we’re going to be altering the lines for our Bears vs. Vikings picks.
Chicago Bears: Just Getting Through
After a 4-2 start to the season, the Bears had the NFC North looking like a historically great division. Well, they’ve since lost seven straight games and looking like this new era may not have as positive of an outlook as the last.
Of their last four games, three of them are divisional matchups, so the question is - will they just “get through” the rest of the season or actually try and be spoilers? All three other teams in the NFC North expect to be in the playoffs, but with an 0-6 road record right now, it’s a tall task for Chicago to ruin those dreams.
Minnesota Vikings: Finally Being Dominant
It hasn’t just been this season that Minnesota has been a part of crazy close games; it’s been the past three years now. While it was wildly impressive two seasons ago winning 11 of 13 games by one score, there is more concern in it this season.
That’s because quite recently, they barely squeaked by the now 3-10 Jacksonville Jaguars 12-7 and 3-10 Tennessee Titans 23-13. However, they finally silenced at least some of their doubters this past Sunday by doubling up on the Atlanta Falcons 42-21 in front of the home crowd to extend their winning streak to six games.
Bears vs. Vikings Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines
We mentioned that we’d be altering the lines for the best bet from our Bears vs. Vikings predictions, but first, the current standard Bears vs. Vikings odds at FanDuel Sportsbook:
- Point Spread: Chicago Bears +6.5 (-110) vs. Minnesota Vikings -6.5 (-110)
- Money Line: Chicago Bears (+235) vs. Minnesota Vikings (-290)
- Game Total (Over/Under): Over 43.5 (-110) vs. Under 43.5 (-110)
Bears vs. Vikings Teaser: Minnesota -0.5 & Under 49.5 Points (-120 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
So, how is it that we can alter the lines in our favor? That’s because the top pick from our Bears vs. Vikings predictions is actually a combination of them with a teaser. Rather than needing Minnesota to win by a touchdown, we just need them to win the game outright. We’re also adding six points to the total to take the under.
This means that both need to come to fruition, and we are confident that they will. Minnesota has been one of the biggest positive surprises of the season after having to make a very late offseason QB swap to Sam Darnold.
If not for that, this could have been a battle of rookies with JJ McCarthy and Bears QB Caleb Williams. Alas, we’re comfortable backing the Vikes to win, but after they needed overtime to beat Chicago, we’d rather just essentially back them on the money line.
At an incredibly impressive 11-2 on the season, they still have work to do, as the Detroit Lions are still sitting at 12-1 ahead of them in the NFC North. Generally, this would be a spot where a team would just focus on a Wild Card spot at this point, but with a division title still within their reach, this is a crucial game.
Although these teams are different this season for sure given the QB scenarios, it still doesn’t hurt to note that Minnesota has taken down Chicago in six of the last seven meetings. Prior to that overtime Thanksgiving Weekend game, the final scores had been 12-10 and 19-13, so barring another extra period, we’re confident in another low-scoring game.
After all, Chicago is tied for the second-best record for unders this season, and they scored just 13 points this past Sunday. All of the above is a recipe for us locking in the best bet from our Bears vs. Vikings predictions on Minnesota -0.5 and under 49.5 points (-120 at FanDuel Sportsbook).
Bears vs. Vikings Injury Report & Latest News
In terms of injury news for this matchup, Chicago’s RB situation needs to be monitored with both D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson both having missed practice this week. Similarly, the other side of the ball is Minnesota’s worry with CB Stephon Gilmore missing practice. You can monitor all injury news with the Fantasy Alarm NFL injury report here!
How To Bet On Bears vs. Vikings At FanDuel Sportsbook & Claim Your $150+ Bonus
Just like our Bears vs. Vikings predictions are focused on multiple picks, you can grab a multi-part FanDuel sign up bonus as well:
- Sign up here for a new FanDuel account
- Make a first-time deposit of $10 or more
- Place a wager of $5+ on any sporting event
- Receive $150 in bonus bets if it wins
The other portion of your FD welcome offer is three free months of NBA League Pass, and we have the NBA Cup Finals on Tuesday night! Enjoy more than just our Bears vs. Vikings predictions with multiple sports and join FanDuel today!
Player News
Packers signed WR Bo Melton, RB Emanuel Wilson, and P Daniel Whelan to their exclusive rights free agent tenders.
Melton caught on with the Packers in 2023, totaling 16 receptions for 218 yards and a touchdown in five games. He added eight receptions for 91 yards in 17 games last season. Melton will continue to be a depth piece in an already-deep Packers wide receiver room. Wilson has also been with the Packers for two seasons and rushed for 502 yards and four touchdowns as Josh Jacobs’ immediate backup last season. He will compete with MarShawn Lloyd for that role again. Whelan is the team’s punter and will be back for 2025. All three signed their exclusive rights free agent tender and will essentially be on one-year contracts this season.
Seahawks re-signed Johnathan Hankins to a one-year contract.
Hankins hasn’t had a PFF run defense grade above 52.4 since 2020 and is primarily called on to play early downs. He turned 33 in March. He’ll be a complimentary piece behind Jarran Reed and Byron Murphy II if he makes the roster out of training camp.
Chargers placed the UFA tender on RB J.K. Dobbins.
This gives the Chargers exclusive negotiating rights if he does not sign with a team by July 22 or the first 2025 NFL training camp opens, whichever comes first. The tag is mainly useful for compensatory pick reasons as Dobbins will still count towards Los Angeles’ haul in the formula if signed before then. The Chargers currently do not project to add a pick in 2026 per Over The Cap’s Nick Korte.
49ers signed OT D.J. Humphries.
Humphries played in only two games for the Chiefs last year as he spent most of the season rehabbing a late 2023 torn ACL on his own. He wasn’t appreciably good in either of those games, but he was rusty and does have a history of better than that. Entering his age-32 season for the 49ers, he’ll probably be trying to win the right tackle job opposite Trent Williams in training camp.
Patriots released LS Joe Cardona.
The team selected his replacement, Julian Ashby, in the seventh round of the draft. This snapper of balls who are longer than usual is only 33, and it’s possible he picks up his career elsewhere. There aren’t too many remaining Patriots Regimes in the wild in 2025, but Nick Caserio does still run the Texans and they let Jon Weeks walk this offseason so that’s one speculative fit.
NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill said he would be “flabbergasted” if Derek Carr played for the Saints this year.
“I would have trouble understanding why you would allow that to happen, you’re trying to build a new culture, you can’t let that guy ... you just got a rookie QB, this is the example you’re going to give him,” Underhill continued. Both Underhill and Mike Triplett believe Tyler Shough will be starting for the Saints in Week 1, with Underhill saying he had “80 percent or higher odds to start 80 percent of the games this year.” Shough would be an uninspiring superflex pick, perhaps a QB3, but given how things have played out with Carr over the past months it sure doesn’t seem like the Saints have a reason to want to continue this relationship. Mickey Loomis literally asked reporters to stop asking him Carr questions at his pre-draft press conference.