2021 NFL picks, score predictions for Week 18

Chicago Bears (6-10) at Minnesota Vikings (7-9)

Sunday, January 9, 1PM ET

The Minnesota Vikings are out of the playoff hunt. I don’t care. Whatever.

The take on the Chicago Bears this upcoming weekend, and the winner of this one really doesn’t matter unless you’re considering draft positioning. While I would love for the Vikings to finish what’s been a disappointing 2021 campaign on a positive note, I don’t necessarily see that happening.

Even with Kirk Cousins back in the mix, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Vikings stumble against the inferior Bears. Then again, you have to give Chicago some sort of credit — they’re coming off a crushing victory in Week 17 and have a solid defense that can stiffen up at times. If Cousins gets sloppy or the run game can’t get going, the Vikings could stall out on offense.

Furthermore, we’ve seen some success from the Chicago offense in recent weeks. Andy Dalton isn’t a star, but he’s far from the worst NFL quarterback available. And David Montgomery has been outstanding this season, making a potential upset possible.

My prediction is this one comes down to the wire, with Minnesota tying the game in the final minutes but the Bears come up with a last-second field goal to get the victory. Then again, the Vikings often win when I pick against them.

Prediction: Bears win 17-14 | Spread: Vikings (-2.5)