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The Chicago Bears were four minutes away from completing a win over the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on November 19.
You know what happened next.
Can the Bears put that deflating defeat behind them and rebound against the Minnesota Vikings in front of a hostile crowd on Monday Night Football?
Here’s how we see this wone shaking out …
Here’s the thing: I actually think the Bears should win this football game. My gut is even telling me they will. Unfortunately, with the way Brian Flores’ defense is playing, I don’t think the Bears will be able to run away with it, which means we’re likely talking about another close game in the fourth quarter. And until they prove otherwise, it’s foolish to predict them to come out on top.
After the Bears’ fourth-quarter debacle against the Lions, I made a vow to not pick the Bears again until they prove they can finish a game. This Vikings defense will be a good measuring stick for Justin Fields to see how much he has learned from the first matchup that resulted in him dislocating his right thumb. Bears keep it close but lose another divisional game.
It all comes down to our least favorite f-word: finishing. The Bears should be right in this game, especially if they continue to tailor the offense to Justin Fields’ strengths. Even though Joshua Dobbs has been playing well since joining the Vikings, he’s still prone to giving defenses chances. So, the Bears will have chances at creating a few takeaways on Monday night. I expect the Bears to make this game close, but until they prove they can finish games, I’m going to have to take their opponents.
The last time the Bears had a complete meltdown vs Denver, they followed that up with a road win over the Commanders in prime time. I’m going with the same recipe this time. After a complete meltdown vs Detroit, I’ve got the Bears winning a road game on prime time in Minnesota. The Bears should be more prepared for the Vikings blitz and the Bears offensive line is better than it was for their first matchup. And the Vikings don’t have Kirk Cousins this time around but instead Josh Dobbs who’s looked shaky last couple of starts. Add it all together and that equals a Bears win!
Feels like a Thanksgiving / Lions hangover waiting to happen. Matt Eberflus may have lost at least some of the team after the Lions debacle. Throw in Brian Flores and the Vikings defense presenting the Bears’ continued problems, and you get Minnesota sneaking out with a win.
The trust level in the Bears are low and for good reason. But despite the late collapse, we saw a lot of good things in the first 56 minutes of the Detroit game and I think they can carry over to Minnesota. The key will be the offense quieting the Vikings fans early … and the defense making sure they stay that way late.
In Justin Fields we trust.
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