MN Vikings Picks, Predictions vs Bears – Local Reporters vs National Media

The Minnesota Vikings will play against the Chicago Bears tonight on Monday Night Football. They enter the national spotlight game as -1.5 favorites on the road, meaning the sportsbooks are pretty clear on who they believe is the better team.

There are all sorts of interesting storylines keys to watch for, entering Monday’s much-anticipated contest, including the debut of JJ McCarthy and whatever Kevin O’Connell’s version of a “ground and pound” running game will look like.

But of all the places to get insider analysis and expert predictions, local beat writers and content creators remain the unquestioned No. 1 source. After all, they are the media members who hang around the team on a regular basis. Many of them also receive information from sources close to the team that nobody else has access to.

Thus, it is worth wrangling up the picks and predictions of said writers and content creators, in order to get the best feel for how each upcoming Minnesota Vikings game might play out.

To add context, we’ve also included picks and predictions from popular national media outlets, who do not follow the Vikings as closely as those on the local beat. That will allow you to compare and contrast how local media views the MN Vikings vs those in the national space.

Week 1 Minnesota Vikings local beat writer & media predictions

• Ben Goessling (Star Tribune) – Vikings 17, Bears 13

As much as Monday night is about McCarthy’s debut on national TV, it’s also a checkpoint for Williams…Expect the Vikings to come after Williams throughout the night. If they can keep him from repeating the escape acts he staged at Soldier Field last year, they should extend their winning streak in the stadium, their house of horrors for much of the century, to a once-unthinkable six games. — Star Tribune

• Dane Mizutani (Pioneer Press) – Vikings 20, Bears 17

JJ McCarthy grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, roughly 30 minutes from Soldier Field. He will do just enough to win his highly anticipated NFL debut against the team he grew up cheering for. — Pioneer Press (physical paper only)

Related: Vikings vs Bears Preview + Game Day Cheat Sheet

• John Shipley (Pioneer Press) – Vikings 21, Bears 19

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has a year under his belt, but if J.J. McCarthy is the guy Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah insist he is, the Vikings’ overall depth will be enough to win their opener. — Pioneer Press (physical paper only)

• Matthew Coller (Purple Insider) – Vikings 24, Bears 17

I’ll go Vikings, something in the 24-17 ballpark. With both QBs having a ton of pressure on them and neither team really knowing what the other is going to do schematically, I’m thinking that the better roster is going to win out. — Purple Insider

Monday Night Football – Vikings vs Bears national predictions

• ESPN – 6 of 11 experts pick Vikings
  • Sonia Bell – Vikings
  • Mike Clay – Bears
  • Jeremy Fowler – Vikings
  • Dan Graziano – Vikings
  • Kalyn Kahler – Vikings
  • Matt Bowen – Bears
  • Pamela Maldonado – Bears
  • Eric Moody – Bears
  • Seth Walder – Bears
  • Seth Wickersham – Vikings

Williams finally has a real offense with which to work. Johnson’s system brings heavy play-action, and protection upgrades with Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson will give Williams time to operate and attack downfield. With DJ Moore, Odunze, Burden and Loveland, Chicago now has a complete group of pass-catching options capable of stressing Minnesota’s secondary.

Defensively, the Bears’ revamped front should help neutralize the backfield duo of Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason, and force McCarthy into tough throws. At home, facing a quarterback making his NFL regular-season debut, Chicago has the roster, scheme and edge to start 1-0. It just needs to execute. — Pamela Maldonado

Related: It’s Pretty Much a Contract Year for One Key Vikings Pass-Catcher

• The Athletic – 3 of 8 experts pick Vikings
  • Joe Buscaglia – Bears
  • Chad Graff – Vikings
  • Larry Holder – Bears
  • Josh Kendall – Vikings
  • Nick Kosmider – Bears
  • Austin Mock – Bears
  • Zack Rosenblatt – Vikings
  • Josiah Turner – Bears

Bears fans can pretend last year never happened. Quarterback Caleb Williams starts fresh with a dramatically improved offensive line, two more pass-catching weapons, and the league’s most celebrated offensive mind calling the shots. For the first time, the franchise appears committed to pushing forward rather than simply making defensible decisions.

Across the field, the Vikings get to deploy J.J. McCarthy after losing his first season to injury. McCarthy has more hype than is perhaps reasonable for a player who still hasn’t seen an NFL game, but those who’ve seen him in action insist the young man can ball. — The Athletic

• MMQB (Sports Illustrated) – 6 of 7 experts pick Vikings
  • Albert Breer – Vikings
  • Conor Orr – Vikings
  • Gilberto Manzano – Vikings
  • Matt Verderami – Vikings
  • John Pluym – Vikings
  • Mitch Goldich – Bears
  • Claire Brennan – Vikings