Bears at Vikings, Monday Night Football Preview

NFL Week 12 is coming to a close, with Monday Night Football in store to cap a holiday weekend full of football. This week’s edition of Monday Night Football features a divisional matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears.

Part 2 of this NFC North rivalry this season (by @PizzaHut) pic.twitter.com/XZ0GOByddV

— NFL (@NFL) November 27, 2023

Vikings Heating Up

Entering last week’s game against the Broncos, the Vikings were the hottest team in the NFL, winners of five straight. Although the loss at Denver snapped the win streak, the Vikings are still in good shape. After starting the season 1-4, Minnesota rode its streak into the playoff picture, planting the Vikings at the six seed in the NFC entering Monday Night Football.

The Vikings lost starting quarterback Kirk Cousins in Week 8 to an Achilles injury. With Cousins out for the year, they acquired Josh Dobbs in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals. Dobbs won over the team and its fanbase the following week, when he came in for an injured Jaren Hall and beat the Falcons, with just a few days’ experience as a member of the Vikings.

Now, the Vikings sit at 6-5 in late November, with everything laid out in front of them. Minnesota is already 2-0 within the division, with wins over Chicago and and Green Bay. After Monday, they still have three divisional games to play, including two against the first place Lions. Just two games back of Detroit, the Vikings are in control of their own destiny in the NFC North. Should they win out, the Vikings would capture back-to-back division titles for the first time since 2009.

Where the Bears Stand

While the Vikings remain right in the middle of the postseason battle, the Chicago Bears find themselves well outside the fight. With six games to go, the Bears sit at 3-8, with just a 3.8% chance to make the playoffs, according to Fox Sports.

Although it is another disappointing football season in the Windy City, there is hope for the Bears’ future. Chicago is currently slated to have two top five picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, including the first overall pick via the Panthers.

With players like USC’s Caleb Williams looming in next year’s draft, former first round pick Justin Fields will have to prove he has earned his position as the franchise quarterback. Fields is making just his eighth start of the season after suffering a right thumb injury in the Week 6 game against the Vikings. He returned last week, carrying the ball 18 times for 104 yards while also throwing for a touchdown in a five-point loss to the Lions.

While the Bears playoff hopes are quickly fading, Fields and company still have plenty to play for, including a chance to damage a division rival’s postseason chances tonight.

Matchups to Watch on MNF

The Vikings have been a pass-first team all year, and not much should change against the Bears.

The Vikings come in as the No. 4 passing offense in the league in terms of yards, averaging just over 266 per game. This matchup should bode well against a Bears defense that gives up over 245 passing yards per game, good for eighth-worst in the league. Chicago also has the best run defense in the NFL in terms of yards allowed, while Minnesota’s rush offense ranks bottom five. The game plan should call for Josh Dobbs to be busy through the air Monday, even without All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

#Vikings star WR Justin Jefferson is “very close” to returning from his hamstring injury, per source, but the team will play it safe and not activate him for tonight’s game vs. Chicago.

Jefferson is expected to be 100% after the bye, practice fully and play Dec. 10 at Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/45nO9qHY6d

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 27, 2023

The Bears are quite the opposite of the Vikings on the offensive side of the ball. Chicago is a run-heavy team, with a top five offense in both rushing attempts and yards per game.

The Bears have also struggled to throw the ball, especially with the absence of Justin Fields. With Fields back tonight, the Bears could open up the passing game more. However, a struggling Bears offensive line is a major concern for Fields, going up against Danielle Hunter and an aggressive Vikings front.

The Vikings came away with the 19-13 victory in the first meeting between the division rivals this season. Six weeks later, both teams will have different signal-callers, as Fields and Dobbs square off under center Monday night.