The Chicago Bears (7-8) visit the playoff-bound Minnesota Vikings (10-5) Sunday with an 1 p.m. ET kickoff at U.S. Bank Stadium. We analyze the Bears-Vikings odds and sports betting lines, while providing betting tips and advice on this Week 17 NFL matchup.
Bears at Vikings: Week 17 preview, betting trends and notes
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- The Bears eliminated the Vikings from the 2018 playoffs with 24-10 Week 17 victory at U.S. Bank Stadium.
- The Bears are 5-0 against the spread (ATS) in their five meetings with the Vikings.
- Minnesota is 6-2-1 ATS in its last nine games against teams with losing records.
- The Vikings and Bears have hit the Under in four of the last five meetings.
- Chicago is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games.
- Minnesota is 6-1 against the moneyline in its last seven home games against Chicago, but the only loss was the last meeting.
- Both teams are coming off inept, humbling losses – the Bears losing at home 26-3 to the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Vikings losing their first home game of the season 23-10 to the Green Bay Packers.
Bears at Vikings: Key injuries
Vikings: The injury report only shows one player as not practicing – Pro Bowl snub LB Eric Kendricks (quadriceps). RB’s Dalvin Cook (shoulder) and Alexander Mattison (ankle) have been limited and neither is expected to play. With Minnesota locked in as the No. 6 seed, several key veterans on both sides of the ball could be pulled early.
Bears: Four players didn’t practice Thursday – DL Akiem Hicks (elbow), NT Eddie Goldman (concussion), WR Taylor Gabriel (concussion) and OL Bobby Massie (ankle). Some of these guys may be making business decisions as to play a meaningless game.
Bears at Vikings: Odds, betting lines and prediction
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday, at 9:20 p.m. ET.
Prediction
Vikings 20, Bears 16
Moneyline (?)
For only giving away 1.5 points, Minnesota (-129) is a little stiff. Chicago is +105, so this one pretty much bets itself. If you think Chicago is going to beat Vikings QB Kirk Cousins a fourth consecutive game, take the Bears here instead of being given a paltry 1.5 points.
Every $1 wagered on the Bears ML would profit $1.05 if they win.
Against the Spread (?)
As mentioned above, the line is Vikings -1.5. Both teams are -110 because it is what is so perilous about putting bets down in Week 17. Minnesota has absolutely nothing to play for or risk Sunday. With the Vikings coming off a national humbling to the Packers and the Bears’ recent dominance of them, if the Vikes lay down in front of their home fans, it will have a negative backlash. If you think motivation of a veteran means anything, take the Vikings at a better price than the moneyline.
Over/Under (?)
This is the most difficult bet of them all because 36.5 (Over -115, Under -106) is such a low number. But these teams tend to hit the Under. It won’t take much to hit the Over and these are teams with opportunistic defenses and special teams, but the Bears have dominated Cousins and, in the last three games against Minnesota, Chicago QB Mitch Trubisky has been knocked out of two of them. The sportsbooks are daring you to take the Over. Take the UNDER 36.5 (-106), but it will be close.
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