Vikings
vs.
Bears
Week 5
NFL Pick
10/9/17
By: Jason Green
Minnesota Vikings (2-2 SU 2-2 ATS) vs. Chicago Bears (1-3 SU 2-2 ATS)
The Vikings have lost two of their last three Games and in losing their last Game they played pretty good defense, but only scored seven points. Starting QB Sam Bradford has missed the last two Games and he may go in this Game if ready and if not Case Keenum, who was less than impressive last week, will get the nod. While Bradford may be back rookie RB Dalvin Cook is out for the season and that is a big blow.
The big news for the Bears in this Monday night match up is that they will start rookie QB Mitchell Trubisky. He has a lot of pressure on him to turn around a Chicago offense that ranks 27th in the league in passing yards per Game and 29th in ppg. The Bears are in last place in the NFC North, but did beat the Vikings at home last season before losing badly to them on the road in their season finale.
The Vikings lost to the Detroit Lions 14-7 in their last Game where they had more overall yards in the Game (284 to 251), but had three turnovers iNCluding a INT late from Keenum that iced the Game for Detroit. After a huge Game the previous week Kennum was back down to earth facing the Lions passing for 219 yards with no TD and no INT. Stefon Diggs ranks 1st in receiving yards in the league with Adam Thielen ranking 3rd, but the loss to Cook was big, as he had a great start to his rookie campaign and ranks 3rd in the league in rushing yards.
Adam Thielen will take over for Cook as the #1 RB, but he only had 21 yards in the loss to the Lions averaging three yards per carry.
Trubisky gets his first career start in this Game and it is on Monday night facing a pretty good Vikings defense that ranks tied for 8th in the league in points against. In the Bears last Game they lost to the Green Bay Packers 35-14 where they had more total yards, but had Four turnovers while not forcing any. The Bears do not have a very good WR corps and with starting a rookie QB they will need a good Game from RB Jordan Howard, who rushed for 53 yards in the loss to Detroit only averaging 2.9 yards per carry. Howard rushed for 140 yards in the previous week in the upset win over the Steelers and he needs to repeat that performance for the Bears to win.
The Vikings are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 road Games, 9-2 ATS vs. a team with a losing record, and in their last 22 road Games they have an Under record of 15-6-1.
The Bears are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 home Games, 7-3 ATS in their last 10 Games following a straight up loss, and in their last 8 Games after a straight up loss they have an Under record of 7-1.
The Bears are 11-3 in their last 14 home Games against the Vikings.
Jason’s Pick: Trubisky will have a pretty decent debut, but he will make some mistakes. The Vikings will take advantage of them and pressure him up front and not allow Howard to have a big Game. Minnesota will get back in the win column in this Game and hand the Bears another loss.