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The Vikings vs. Bears spread offered at most online sportsbooks featured Chicago as a +1 underdog. A handful of books were offering the line at +1.5 for Bears backers, including Sportsbook.com. 75 percent of those betting the spread were on the Vikings to cover. 90 percent were on the OVER 40.5 Total. This was a heavily bet on game, with the Vikings the 2nd most wagered on team after the Tampa Bay Bucs.
The Bears come into this game an unlikely 5-3 while Minnesota is perhaps an even more unlikely 3-5. The Bears are looking to tie in the division with the current first place leaders, the Green Bay Packers. They are on their bye this week.
"I like our position," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "We're not sitting in first place right now, but to me (that's) because we've played one less game than the team that's up top right now. They don't play this week. That's why this game is so big for us.
"We want to matter, and right now, I think you can say the Bears matter."
Last week, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler finished 17 of 30 for 188 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Led by 49 yards from Matt Forte, Chicago rushed for 105 yards after totaling 127 the previous two games.
Brett Favre, meanwhile, helped lead the Vikings back from a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit. He finished 36 of 47 for a career-high 446 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Coming into last week’s game, Vikings head coach Brad Childress’ job appeared in serious jeopardy following his abrupt cutting of Randy Moss.
"Those younger guys in there, they want new contracts, they want to be in the Pro Bowl and the best player at their position," said Favre, who at times has had his own issues with Childress. "They can't look at it from, 'Who's my coach?' It's still football. You have to run routes, you have to block, you have to tackle, you have to make the right reads; you have to overcome adversity.
"A head coach is a head coach. Individually, that's the way it should be and that's the way I approach it."
Let’s check out some important Vikings vs. Bears trends.
The home team has won the last five in this series.
The Vikings are 8-17 Against The Spread in their last 25 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
The Vikings are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following a S.U. win. The Bears are 5-12-1 ATS in their last 18 games following a S.U. win.
The Vikings are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 road games. The Bears are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 games as an underdog of 0.5-3.0 but are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 home games.
The Vikings are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games on grass.
The Bears are 5-11 ATS in their last 16 vs. NFC.
- Tyrone Black, Gambling911.com
