2019 NFL picks, score predictions for Week 17

Chicago Bears (7-8) at Minnesota Vikings (10-5)

Sunday, December 29, 1PM ET

The Minnesota Vikings were dealt a painful blow on Monday night, being relegated to the sixth seed in the NFC while their offense was put on notice. They’re still going to the playoffs, but were dropped a couple of notches after the Green Bay Packers demolished their offense.

It would make perfect sense for the Vikings to phone it in on Sunday. They don’t need the win, as they’re set as the NFC’s sixth seed no matter what happens. However, after the way the Green Bay loss went, they could use a momentum boost heading into the playoffs. The Chicago Bears can provide exactly that in Week 17.

After a late push to stay alive in the playoff race, the Bears have crumbled in recent weeks. It’s clear Mitchell Trubisky isn’t going to return this franchise to relevance, and the Chicago defense hasn’t lived up to its potential either. Even if the Vikings do rest up some folks ahead of the Wild Card round, they should still be able to win this duel.

It’s anyone’s guess what will happen on Sunday with Minnesota lacking the motivation to come away with the W. Regardless, expect Mike Zimmer to have his guys pressing for a win after the clobbering they suffered at the hands of their NFC North rivals.

Prediction: Vikings win 29-23