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The Minnesota Vikings were pushed to the limit in their first meeting with the Chicago Bears as they gave away a late lead and were forced to beat Chicago 30-27 in overtime. Head coach Kevin O'Connell and his team has designs on winning the NFC North title, and that means they should be able to handle a home game against the last place Chicago Bears. Ahead of the Bears-Vikings game, we’ll be making our Vikings Week 15 predictions.
The Vikings (11-2) have won their last six games in a row and they are trying to hunt down the first-place Detroit Lions (12-1). If that is going to happen, the Vikings must take care of business against the struggling Monsters of the Midway.
Chicago fired head coach Matt Eberflus just a week after losing their Week 12 game at Soldier Field to the Vikings. New head coach Thomas Brown will try to make sure his team is focused on the explosive Vikings when the two teams kick off at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Bears have some talent in rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and a trio of receivers that includes D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen and rookie Rome Odunze, but Chicago has been one of the most disappointing teams in the leagues.
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The Vikings should be in a position to play a strong game and here are our Week 15 predictions.
Justin Jefferson will have 85-plus receiving yards and catch 1 TD pass
Justin Jefferson is widely thought of as the best receiver in the NFL, and if he is not worthy of that title, he is clearly in the top 3.
The talented pass catcher is a coming off a brilliant game against the Atlanta Falcons in which he burned his opponents for 7 receptions, 132 yards and 2 TDs. That game is likely to fuel Jefferson to another top-level performance against the Bears.
Jefferson has to figure that he owes the Bears because he was double-covered throughout the first meeting between the two team. The Vikings' best offensive player was held to 2 receptions for 27 yards.
Whether Jefferson catches multiple passes or not, he always has a huge impact on the opposing defense. When he is being double-covered, fellow wideout Jordan Addison is getting single coverage and so is tight end T.J. Hockenson. That allows those players to come through with big games.
Jefferson is not likely to be held in check at home on Monday Night football. He will want to put on a show for the home fans as well as the national TV audience.
The Bears are in disarray as they have lost seven straight games. Jefferson will make them pay.
Aaron Jones will rush for 100-plus yards and he will not fumble
The Vikings love Jones because he is a maximum effort player with game-changing speed. Head coach Kevin O'Connell likes what he has gotten from Jones despite suffering an injury earlier in the year.
Jones has carried the ball 197 times for 893 yards with 4 touchdowns. He has also caught 37 passes for 302 yards and a pair of TD receptions.
Despite his productivity, Jones has developed something of a fumbling problem. He has 5 fumbles on the season — including 4 in the last 3 games.
If the Vikings are going to make a decent run in the postseason, they need Jones in the lineup and remaining productive. They can't play him if the continues to fumble.
Perhaps that problem will return at some point, but not against the Bears. Jones will keep it clean on that side of the ledger and he will rush for more than 100 yards.
Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel will have 1 interception and 1 sack
The Vikings have been a big-play defensive team throughout the season. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has enjoyed two excellent seasons in turning the Vikings into a unit that dominates against the run and does not give up many touchdowns.
The Vikings have gotten a lift from newcomer Andrew Van Ginkel throughout the season. He intercepted a pass in the season opener against the New York Giants and returned it for a touchdown and he also accomplished that feat in Week 5 against the New York Jets. Van Ginkel has also shown he can rush the passer. He has gotten to the opposing quarterback for 9.0 sacks this season.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams knows how to maintain possession, but Van Ginkel understands how to watch film and learn a quarterback's tendencies. He will intercept one of Williams passes and also register a sack.
