This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
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Chicago Bears @ Minnesota Vikings: Betting Odds, Picks, and Predictions for Week 15
Holiday music is shut off. The blinds are closed to veil the outside world. I've stopped stuffing my face with Christmas cookies and have replaced them with straight bourbon. Judge not lest you want to wake up knowing you have to cover OUR Chicago Bears once again - in Prime Time, no less. Alas, that is my task at hand. After last week's tone-deaf and clueless tribute to their former leader, the Bears - nay, all of America - are "rewarded" with a Monday Night appearance against an NFC North rival. At least Sam Darnold and Justin Jefferson are involved to give us an example of how forward passes work.
Side note: how crazy of a world do we live in that the name SAM DARNOLD was invoked in a positive, savior-like manner?
Bears @ Minnesota Betting Odds
Bears +7 (Caesars) / Vikings -7 (-102 FanDuel)
Bears ML +280 (BetMGM) / Vikings ML -320 (FanDuel)
Total OVER 43.5 (bet365) / UNDER 44 (DraftKings)
This line opened at 7 before dipping down to 6.5 and staying there most of the week before climbing back up to 7 last night. With 78% of the bets and 72% of the money on the Vikings, it is clear the public is as done with Chicago as yours truly. My interpretation is that some sharp money on the Bears did manage to lower the line before the public bought in again at 6.5. The total opened at 42.5 and has steadily risen to around 44 with 83% of bets and 57% of the money on the over. That large discrepancy gives me pause and will likely influence my selection for today.
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Bears @ Vikings Betting Picks
The first thing that jumped out at me regarding this game is that the road team has won eight of the last ten straight up in this series, including 8-2 ATS. But it is not as even as one might think. Minnesota is responsible for five of those eight road wins and both home wins. Only four of those ten games went over a total of 44, with 41 the average points scored in those ten games. If you remove 57 and 60 point outliers, that average drops to 35 ppg in the remaining eight games. If the line dips back down to 6.5, I'd take the Vikings, but there is little value at 7. On the other side, there is no way in blue hell I'm recommending the Bears in any way, so we're left with the total. Public money is on the over, sharp money is on the under, and given the history of these teams above, UNDER 44.5 is the Best Bet for tonight's game.
Vikings @ Bears Best Bet: UNDER 44.5 (@ FanDuel)
Bears @ Vikings Prediction
No. Just no. Last week broke me. Keeping things close and finding cute ways to lose is one thing. That's entertaining. Giving no effort in the first game AFTER YOU WERE SO BAD YOU GOT YOUR COACH FIRED is insulting to everyone involved. Nobody has any clue what route this team will go to lose this week, but the tea-leaves suggest this will be an ugly, low-scoring, seven-point game.