NEWSLETTER
A battle for first place in the NFC North, a showdown between two oft-criticized quarterbacks, and a display of two of the NFL’s best defenses will take center stage on Sunday Night Football.
The NFL and NBC made a bold decision to flex Sunday’s Bears-Vikings game into Sunday’s primetime spot. Bears pass-rusher Khalil Mack and Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins were two of the biggest (and most costly) names to change teams in the offseason. Cousins and his Bears counterpart, Mitch Trubisky, have taken heat from the outside regarding their performances over the years, but both are playing at a high level entering this matchup (and Cousins has historically dominated at Soldier Field). Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy is shaping up to be this year’s Sean McVay, while Vikings Offensive Coordinator/play caller John DeFilippo will definitely get his name tossed into the ring when certain head coaching opportunities become available.
From a fan’s perspective, this is all you really want – a chance to assert yourself at the top of the division against an arch rival in front of a nationally televised audience. Now, it’s time for the Bears to reward our faith as fans with a win under the bright lights.
“Never Tell Me The Odds:”
The Bears opened up as 3-point favorites at the Westgate Superbook in Las Vegas, but that line has since moved. Chicago enters this weekend as 2.5-point favorites with an over/under set at 44.5. It’s worth pointing out over has come in for each of the Bears’ last two games, while the under has been the result in the Vikings’ last two contests.
Series History:
The Vikings lead the all-time series 60-51-2 and are riding a three-game winning streak against the Bears entering Sunday’s showdown. Minnesota has won six of the last eight, but Chicago’s two wins have come at home.
Game Time, Broadcast Info, Officiating Crew:
Location: Soldier Field
Broadcast Info: Sunday, November 18 at 7:20 on NBC (Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michelle Tafoya), WBBM-AM 780, WCFS-FM 105.9
Referee: John Parry
Expected Starters and Lineups:
Bears Offense Expected Starters:
Bears Defense Expected Starters:
Bears Specialists:
Vikings Offense Expected Starters:
Vikings Defense Expected Starters:
Vikings Specialists:
Hot or Not and Whom to Watch
Chicago Bears – Offense
Trey Burton could be Mitch Trubisky’s most targeted pass-catcher on Sunday. The Vikings allowed George Kittle (9 targets, 5 catches, 90 yards), Jimmy Graham (8 targets, 6 catches, 95 yards), Zach Ertz (11 targets, 10 catches, 110 yards), and Ricky Seals-Jones (6 ctargets, 5 catches, 69 yards) to have nice games earlier in the season, but tightening their pass defense against tight ends is something that probably was a point of emphasis during the bye. Trubisky owns a 117.7 passer rating and 73.5 completion percentage to go along with an 8.9 yards per attempt average when targeting tight ends in 2018, so Burton could be a playmaking security blanket (if such a thing exists).
Chicago Bears – Defense
Roquan Smith is rounding into form. Smith has collected three games with 10+ tackles in five games since the bye, added a pair of QB Hits, three tackles-for-loss, and a couple of sacks. If Smith played at this pace over a full 16-game schedule, we’d be looking at a player who would finish the year with 144 tackles and six sacks. Smith is playing at a high level right now and needs to keep it up, especially when facing a team that could try to match him up against tight end Kyle Rudolph, running back Dalvin Cook, and others.
Minnesota Vikings – Offense
Adam Thielen is one of the league’s premier receivers, which is something you wouldn’t have expected when the Vikings snagged him as an undrafted free agent back in May 2013. The Minnesota State product opened the season with eight straight games with 100 receiving yards. And even though that streak stopped in Week 9, Thielen is still on pace for 139 catches, 1,684 yards, and 12 touchdowns. A matchup between Thielen and Bryce Callahan could ultimately decide who wins Sunday’s game.
Minnesota Vikings – Defense
Harrison Smith is the best safety in football. He plays the run aggressively and is a sure-handed tackler. In the passing game, Smith covers ground from sideline to sideline, can defend receivers and tight ends, and can goad unsuspecting quarterbacks into throwing passes that can result in easy interceptions for him. Smith was a dominant force the last time these two teams met at Soldier Field, coming away with the first interception of Trubisky’s career. Finding a way to neutralize his presence should be a top priority for the Bears’ offense.
