The Vikings haven’t won in Chicago since 2007. They might be the only ones. It’s time to reverse the Soldier Field curse and Adrian Peterson will have a lot to do with that. AP has a history of running through the Bears defense and that’s not about to change this week.
ODDS
Minnesota opened as a 1-point favorite with the total at 42.5. The Bears have won seven straight at home against the Vikings going 6-1 ATS in that span. Minnesota has covered in its last five games while the under is 5-1 for the year. The total dropped a half point to 42 while the line settled back to -1 after getting as high as -3.
KEY INJURIES
Sharrif Floyd – Is out indefinitely with knee and ankle injuries. The Vikings starting defensive tackle underwent a procedure to remove cartilage from his knee and coach Mike Zimmer said he didn’t know how long Floyd would be out. Tom Johnson filled in last week and played 44 snaps.
Antrel Rolle – Continues his recovery from an ankle injury and is questionable to play on Sunday. Chicago’s defense has been ravaged by injuries, but Rolle and linebacker Shea McClellin, who is nursing a knee injury, are expected to return in the near future to bolster the unit.
KEY MISMATCH
Defensive line remains the most uncertain spot on the Bears roster, and the decision last week to cut lineman Jeremiah Ratliff over a strange incident at Halas Hall left the Bears relying on the waiver wire for help. The Bears put Ego Ferguson on injured reserve due to a knee injury two weeks ago, and after Ratliff’s departure they had to bring in Ziggy Hood, who immediately went into a crash course on the defense. It doesn’t appear as though Hood can contribute right away. He missed all last season after a preseason foot injury. The Bears earlier lost defensive end Cornelius Washington and scrambled to sign Bruce Gaston off the Packers practice squad and Mitch Unrein after he was cut by San Diego. Losing starting defensive linemen hurts, but after allowing 546 yards to Detroit before their bye, it doesn’t appear the Bears could get much worse with newer faces. Maybe some of those new faces can slow down Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson, who usually saves his best for the Bears, rushing for 1,396 yards and 14 touchdowns in 12 career meetings.
KEY STAT
17.0 – Minnesota’s points per game allowed. The Vikings are third in the NFL and have not yielded more than 23 points in any game this season. Chicago scores an average of 20 point per game and tallied a season-high 34 in a loss to Detroit two weeks ago.
BETTING ANGLE
The last opponent for both teams was Detroit at Ford Field. And going off the results of those games the Vikings are the easy pick. But as we know, past results are meaningless and each game is different. Minnesota defeated the Lions last week, overcoming an early 14-3 deficit to snare a 28-19 decision to cover the spread. Two weeks ago the Bears surrendered 546 yards of offense and fell in overtime, 37-34, as the Lions picked up their first – and so far only – win of the year. But the Bears have had the Vikings number at home recently, winning seven straight in the Windy City while going 6-1 ATS. Chicago played as the favorite six times going 5-1 ATS in those games. The Bears have covered in their last three, all as an underdog, with two SU wins. The Vikings are a good bet this season going 5-1 ATS. As good of a bet as the Vikes have been against the spread, they are equally solid playing below the total. The under has paid out in five of their six games.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Some of Peterson’s best rushing performances have come against Chicago and facing a depleted Bears defense means AP will get plenty of chances. Peterson ran for 224 yards at Soldier Field in his 2007 rookie season and, to prove that the years didn’t take a toll on him, he amassed 211 yards in 2013, the last time he faced the Bears. So expect plenty of AP. Chicago is trying to put a defensive line together following the release of Ratliff and Ferguson heading to injured reserve. The Bears will also be without McClellin, who has evolved into one of the team’s top defenders. Chicago showed a little pop on offense in their loss to the Lions with Jay Cutler throwing for 353 yards and finally having his top target Alshon Jeffery back. If the Bears can find a way to slow down Peterson and win the turnover battle, they’ll have a chance to extend their home field dominance, if not it’s going to be another long day. And I don’t see the Bears stopping AP with the defensive front they’ll have on the field.
Minnesota 27, Chicago 20
The NFL lines for this Sunday contest first surfaced at BookMaker and the Vikings were positioned as 1-point favorites with a total of 42.5. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next quarter. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device or tablet at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears square off on Sunday, November 1, 2015, at 1 p.m. ET at Soldier Field. The contest will be broadcast regionally on FOX.
