We know Sunday’s game will be the swan song for head coach Matt Nagy in Chicago, but will his combatant across the sideline be shown the door as well? Week 18 could also be the end of the Mike Zimmer era in Minnesota as the team misses the postseason for the third time in the last four years.
The Bears could end the season on a three-game win streak, but it’s far too late for Nagy to keep his job. The Vikings’ last win came in Chicago in Week 15 in a very ugly 17-9 finale. For some reason, the betting total is still 44.5 for the Week 18 matchup, which seems way too lofty.
Bears at Vikings Betting Analysis
On the Chicago side
Will we see a third different QB get a win for Chicago Bears over the last three games? Nick Foles led a 25-24 victory over Seattle in the snow in Week 16 and Nagy inexplicably went back to Andy Dalton last Sunday in a move that paid off in a 29-3 victory over the Giants. Rookie Justin Fields is the QB of the future in Chicago, so does he get some valuable reps in the finale after recovering from ankle/rib injuries?
The pressure is off for both teams, and the Bears’ offense has looked arguably the best they have all season over the last two games. Foles was 24/35 in his first game action of the season in Seattle while Dalton led the team to a 22-3 halftime lead over the Giants last Sunday.
On the Minnesota side
Chicago isn’t the only team with QB issues heading into the Week 18 finale, as Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins missed last week’s 27-10 loss in Green Bay after a positive COVID test. Cousins would be eligible for Sunday’s meeting with the Bears, but there are also rumors that his time in Minnesota is also up, so why would the Vikings risk an injury to what could be very valuable trade bait?
Minnesota went with Sean Mannion last week against the Packers, and he was a ho-hum 22/36 for 189 yards and a TD. The finale against Chicago seems like a great opportunity for Minnesota to see what they have in rookie QB Kellen Mond, who was 2-3 for 5 yards against Green Bay in his first game action of the season.
Bears at Vikings Prediction
There are a ton of variables in this Week 18 game, mainly because we don’t know who is going to be on the field for either team. Chicago’s defense held the Vikings to 193 total yards in the Week 15 Monday night game, and that was with Cousins, Dalvin Cook, and Justin Jefferson at full strength. What will the Bears do if Minnesota does give Mond his first career start at QB?
The Bears are in a very unique situation with the ability to start two veteran QBs in Dalton or Foles – or opt to see the promising rookie Fields. Nagy knows he is canned, so the pressure is off, and Dalton/Foles – and Nagy – are using this game as a resume builder. Gotta go with the Bears here.