Nov 12, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell reacts with wide receiver Brandon Powell (4) before the game against the New Orleans Saints at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
It’s not often that you see truly gaudy point spreads in the NFL. It happens even less for teams that don’t blow out their opponents. The Minnesota Vikings haven’t done much of that this year, but they have a chance to build some big momentum on Monday against the Chicago Bears.
The Vikings come into the game as seven-point favorites. That’s on the heels of a game in which they convincingly knocked off old friend Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta is more talented than Chicago, and there should be an even greater opportunity to make the previous Bears game look out of sorts.
It has been quite some time since Minnesota has been in this position. That doesn’t mean this team can’t handle the expectations, though. Ultimately, this group has already reeled off 11 wins, and they are destined for the postseason.
Kevin O’Connell would prefer that his team put the opposition away early. Chicago had no reason to hang around as they did when the two teams met at Soldier Field. Division games get weird, and the more the Vikings keep their opponent in it, the more belief they will generate.
There’s a possibility that the Vikings use Monday as a momentum-building victory. Sure, they’ve strung together six in a row now, but it’s about what lies ahead. The Seattle Seahawks aren’t a juggernaut, but it will be a true test to win on the road. Minnesota also finishes with massive games against Green Bay and Detroit.
If the Vikings want to change the course of their playoff lives and host games, they’ll almost certainly need to win out down the stretch. That’s a tough task, but building off whatever they can do to the Bears would be a great start. There isn’t going to be another game the rest of the way where the outcome is expected to be a laugher.
Take advantage of the opportunity that is right in front of you.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.