NFL Monday Night Football Preview: Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings – Monday, Dec. 16, 2024

Monday Night Football has compelling betting opportunities, with the first one being between the Chicago Bears (4-9) and Minnesota Vikings (11-2) on December 16 at 8:00 PM ET in the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings are home favorites with a point spread at -7.0 (+100).

Chicago Bears Betting Preview

The Bears are trying everything they can to break their losing streak, which is currently at seven. Their latest defeat was a 38-13 outing against the San Francisco 49ers.

They allowed the 49ers to drop 24 points without retaliation in the first half. They managed to get six points on the board in the third quarter, but the damage had already been done. Caleb Williams completed 17 of his 23 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns.

They put up an abysmal 162 yards and gave up 452 to the 49ers, which clearly resulted in a blowout. Against the Vikings, this game will quickly be out of reach if they allow this type of differential.

The Bears are averaging 19.5 points a game, which ranks 24th in the league offensively. Their defense typically allows their opponents to achieve 21.4 points a game, ranking 10th. If their offense can improve, they would have improved some of those losses to wins.

Minnesota Vikings Betting Preview

The Vikings are on a six-game win streak coming into this showdown. Their latest win was a 42-21 outing over the Atlanta Falcons, which was competitive up until the fourth quarter.

They poured it on offense with 21 points, which is what they put up in the first three quarters combined. In fact the game was tied at 21 heading into the fourth. Sam Darnold put on an impressive performance with 22 of 28 completions that totaled 347 yards and five touchdowns.

Both teams had similar numbers offensively, but the Falcons had three costly turnovers that allowed the Vikings more opportunities in the end zone. The Vikings even had the ball less than the Falcons, at nearly 28.5 minutes.

The Vikings rank ninth for averaging 26.1 points a game and sixth for allowing 18.5 points from opposing teams. This shows a healthy margin of victory, but they must do better against the Bears than their last performance against them.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

MyBookie offers the best Monday Night NFL betting odds between the Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings have a slight advantage at home, with odds showing they are favored by seven points.

According to market predictions, the Vikings have a 65.3 percent likelihood of winning outright. These teams are polar opposites when looking at what they can do on both sides of the ball, so look for the Vikings to cover the spread.

Final Pick: Minnesota Vikings -7.0 (+100)