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Sports Interaction Staff
Bears. vs Vikings Recap: Minny Dominates Chicago in MNF Victory
With the win, Minnesota (12-2) moved into a tie for first place in the NFC North and continued to look like a team built for postseason success.
The Vikings struck early, as Sam Darnold connected with Justin Jefferson for a first-quarter touchdown set up by a Jonathan Greenard strip-sack on Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. From there, Minnesota leaned heavily on its defence and ground game. Aaron Jones and Cam Akers each found the end zone in the second half, with Jones powering the offensce on 18 carries for 86 yards.
Minnesota’s defence was the story of the night, holding Chicago to just one third-down conversion on 12 attempts and forcing the Bears into a series of mistakes. Caleb Williams, though extending his interception-free streak to 286 passes, was constantly pressured, completing 18 of 31 passes for 191 yards and a meaningless late touchdown to Keenan Allen. The Bears’ run game, led by D’Andre Swift’s 79 yards on 19 carries, showed flashes but was undone by key fourth-down failures and penalties in critical moments.
The Bears (4-10) have now gone three consecutive games without scoring in the first half—a historic low not seen since Jacksonville in 2018. While the Bears showed life in the second half, mistakes like a missed fourth-down toss, a negated touchdown due to a penalty, and holding calls on rookie linemen doomed their comeback efforts.
Minnesota, meanwhile, celebrated both the win and the emotional tribute to Vikings legend Randy Moss, as Cris Carter and Jake Reed brought Moss’ jersey to midfield for the pregame coin flip. Jefferson’s “We love you, Randy!” shout after his touchdown captured the spirit of the night.
Bears vs. Vikings Betting Recap
The Vikings entered the game as 7-point favorites and covered the spread comfortably with an 18-point win. For bettors backing Minnesota on the moneyline (-350), the Vikings delivered as expected, while those who took the Bears (+280) missed out as Chicago’s offence failed to keep up.
The total points line was set at 43.5, and under bettors were rewarded, as the combined total of 42 points fell just short. Minnesota’s dominant defence and Chicago’s sluggish offence were key contributors to the under hitting.
Detroit’s loss to Buffalo earlier on Sunday turned out to be a major break for Minnesota. The Lions, riding an 11-game winning streak, fell in a tightly contested game, which allowed the Vikings to move into a tie for first place in the NFC North. With both teams now neck and neck, the division race is shaping up to be a battle down the stretch, adding even more significance to Minnesota’s remaining games.
The Vikings (12-2) will travel to Seattle next week for a showdown with the Seahawks as they look to stay atop the NFC North.
Meanwhile, the Bears (4-10) return home to host the Detroit Lions, hoping to bounce back and find answers for their struggling offence.
