The Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears take center stage for the final NFL Week 1 game on Monday Night Football on Sept. 8. Vikings vs Bears will kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET from Soldier Field; the game will be broadcast on ESPN and ABC.
The Vikings are 1-point favorites against the Bears (Vikings -1) with the over/under set at 43.5. The Vikings are -120 moneyline favorites; the Bears are +100 underdogs.
Let's get to our Vikings vs Bears predictions for Monday Night Football, which include the spread, over/under and two Vikings-Bears props (receiving yards, anytime touchdown).
Vikings vs Bears Predictions, Picks, Props
- Vikings vs Bears against the spread: Bears +1.5 (-110)
- Vikings vs Bears over/under: Under 44 (-110)
- Vikings vs Bears player prop: D'Andre Swift Over 15.5 Receiving Yards (-110)
- Vikings vs Bears player prop: DJ Moore Anytime Touchdown (+186)
Vikings vs Bears Odds
| Vikings Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1 -110 | 43.5 -110o / -110u | -120 |
| Bears Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1 -110 | 43.5 -110o / -110u | +100 |
Vikings vs Bears Same Game Parlay
- Bears +1.5
- Under 44
- D'Andre Swift Over 15.5 Receiving Yards
- DJ Moore Anytime Touchdown
Parlay Odds: +1750 (Fanatics)
Vikings vs Bears Against the Spread Prediction
The Vikings–Bears rivalry has been close, with eight of the last 11 games ending within one score. Notably, the Vikings are 7-14-1 ATS in Chicago the last couple decades.
Why did this line move from Chicago -1.5 this summer to +1.5 and riding? No reason, just a free FG of value, despite J.J. McCarthy making his NFL debut on the road on Monday Night Football against a Dennis Allen defense. The Vikings are also debuting three new interior linemen and LT Christian Darrisaw is questionable with a knee injury.
We saw the Ben Johnson effect on display on Sunday with the Lions. Now we get the positive version.
Johnson‘s offense shredded Brian Flores for 30+ points in all four matchups with Detroit, including a 67% success rate against his aggressive blitz last year. Minnesota is missing longtime safety Harrison Smith and lost Cam Bynum in free agency so no buttoned up backend is a big problem.
There are great Week 1 trends for Chicago:
- 4-6 game winners the year prior as underdogs are 54–24–1 ATS (69%)
- Divisional underdogs since 2015 are 66% ATS, including 13–4 ATS at home
- Non-playoff teams the year prior against playoff teams in divisional games are 41–15–1 ATS (73%)
And why stop at Bears +1.5? A Bears cover likely means a win — 127 home underdogs of under three points have won over the last decade, and 77 of them (61%) won by at least seven points.
Bears -6.5 is +255 at FanDuel. Let’s ride.
By Billy Ward
While there’s more than one cause, the pathetic offensive performance of the Lions on Sunday made one thing abundantly clear: Ben Johnson is very good at what he does.
Now the Bears head coach, Johnson has as much – if not more – offensive talent to work with than he did in Detroit, with No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams at QB, two first-round wide receivers, and a top-10 pick at tight end in Colston Loveland. The Bears also boast a top-five offensive line, according to our Brandon Anderson.
This group opens the 2025 season as slight underdogs against the Vikings. Minnesota is rolling out J.J. McCarthy for his first professional start after he missed all of the 2024 NFL season due to injury.
While I have my concerns about the Bears defense, I have bigger concerns about McCarthy, at least early in the season.
Given the offensive weaponry in Chicago, all the defense needs to do is keep things close, which isn’t a huge ask against a debuting QB.
When these teams meet again in Minnesota and McCarthy has more experience under his belt, I’ll probably feel differently.
However, I’m taking the Bears and the points at home this time around.
Pick: Bears +1.5 (-110)
Vikings vs Bears Over/Under Pick
The trends are with us when projecting a low-scoring affair on Monday night.
Week 1 totals inside the division have historically been a profitable endeavor, but that isn’t necessarily the reason why this was the very first play I locked in over the summer when NFL lines dropped.
I expect Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson to become a very good match, but this will be a watered-down version of the Johnson system. The pass-heavy attack will eventually be the staple of this offense — with an embarrassment of riches at the skill positions for the Bears — but early on in the season, I am expecting a run-focused approach.
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores features one of the highest blitz rates in the league and he sent extra defenders at Caleb Williams on more than 50% of his attempts during the two meetings as a rookie.
Johnson must put emphasis on getting the ball out of Williams’ hands. When combining that with more called running plays, this will look like a conservative version of Johnson’s offensive system.
J.J. McCarthy will also be protected by his playcaller with a rushing attack that the Vikings spent the entire offseason shoring up. McCarthy is taking his first meaningful NFL snaps in this game — it would be shocking to see him throw it 35+ times.
There is reason to expect improvements by both defenses heading into 2025.
Kevin O’Connell and Johnson will ease their signal callers into the season. This will be a closely contested game with the winner scoring between 20 to 24 points.
Pick: Under 44 (-110)
Vikings vs Bears Player Props
By Brit Devine
With Ben Johnson as the new head coach for the Bears, Swift's line is looking low as we head into the final game of Week 1.
With Johnson calling plays last season for the Lions, Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery combined for 50.4 receiving yards per game. D'Andre Swift averaged 22.7 receiving yards per game last season and went for 16+ in 10 of his 17 games.
Johnson might be the best playcaller in history after the Lions offense crumbled in Week 1.
Swift's main backup looks questionable (at best) to suit up, which would leave seventh-round rookie Kyle Monangai to share some work. Too many things are pointing to the over here.
I would play this to 17.5.
Pick: D'Andre Swift Over 15.5 Receiving Yards (-110); Bet to Over 17.5
Vikings vs Bears Anytime Touchdown Pick
By Grant Neiffer
We don't know what this offense for the Bears is going to look like under new head coach Ben Johnson.
The offense should be heavily improved, however, and with Keenan Allen gone, Moore should be in for some increased volume this season.
Rome Odunze is a good WR, but Moore is the clear alpha, in my opinion, and led the Bears in red-zone targets last season.
While he struggled to score, with just 6 TDs in 17 games, this offense should be drastically improved with Johnson and a more experienced Caleb Williams
The Vikings have one of the better defenses in the league, but they are a pass funnel; they allowed the fourth-most pass yards last season and second-fewest rushing yards per game.
I have the true odds here around +150, making this a great bet.
Pick: DJ Moore Anytime Touchdown (+186)
