NFL 2018 Week 11: Vikings vs. Bears preview, statistics, odds
by Conor Roche
A battle for first place in the NFC North will take place on Sunday night as the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears face off at Soldier Field.
The Vikings enter the Windy City with a 5-3-1 record while the Bears hold a 6-3 record and first place in the NFC North.
After a slow start, Minnesota's season has progressed how many thought it would as the team has won four of their last five games. Newcomer Kirk Cousins has thrown for 2,685 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and five picks, good enough for an impressive 102.2 passer rating this season. Cousins has also completed 80 percent of his passes in two of the last five games as he continues to prove why the Vikings gave him the big contract.
The player that benefits the most from Cousins' play is Adam Thielen. To start the year, Thielen had at least 100 receiving yards in each of the first eight games, tying the record for the longest streak of games with at least 100 receiving yards. Week 9 marked the first week where Thielen didn't have 100 receiving yards. He caught four passes for just 22 yards in the Vikings win over the Detroit Lions.
Nonetheless, Thielen's season has been impressive as he's third in the league in receiving yards and tied for first in receptions. The Cousins-Thielen tandem helps give the Vikings the eighth-best passing attack in the league.
But as good as their passing game is, the Vikings ground game is just as bad. With their No. 1 running back Dalvin Cook battling injuries for much of the year, the Vikings have averaged only 91.7 rushing yards a game -- fifth-worst in the league.
A big reason for the Vikings success as of late has been their defense. Minnesota has only allowed 18.8 points per game in its last five games as Danielle Hunter and Harrison Smith have led a defense that's been tough to score on. Hunter already has 11.5 sacks this season and had 3.5 sacks in Minnesota's last game against Detroit. Smith leads the defense in turnovers forced as he has three interceptions and a forced fumble.
The Vikings defense presents a tough task for the Bears, but Chicago may be up for the challenge.
Mitch Trubisky has proved himself to be a solid starting quarterback so far, throwing 2,304 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions, giving him a 101.6 passer rating. Unlike Cousins, Trubisky hasn't had a wide receiver he relies on. The team's lead receiver is actually running back Tarik Cohen who has 37 catches for 435 yards.
Chicago's other running back, Jordan Howard, hasn't gotten off to the start he would like. He's rushed for 460 yards but only has 3.4 yards per carry. Luckily for the Bears, Trubisky has proven himself to be a dual threat as he has 320 rush yards this year while Cohen has added another 244 yards.
The Bears have also had a good year on the other side of the ball. Newcomer Khalil Mack has not only proven that he was worth the price the Bears paid to trade for him, but he's emerged as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Mack has seven sacks, an interception and four forced fumbles this season as he leads a Bears squad that is second in takeaways with 24.
So, which newcomer to this division rivalry will have this biggest impact? After all, they may be the determining factor in not only this game but also the winner of the NFC North.
Vikings vs. Bears head-to-head stats
- Both teams have struggled against tougher competition this season. The Vikings are 0-2 against teams that are .500 this year as they've lost to the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints. The Bears are 0-1 in that same stat as they lost to the New England Patriots before starting a three-game winning streak.
- While the Vikings defense appears to have found its footing over the last month, allowing just 18.8 points per game over the last five games. They go up against tough competition, however, as the Bears are fifth in the league in scoring, averaging 29.9 points per game.
- Chicago also has one of the league's top-scoring defenses, allowing just 19.4 points per game this year, good for fourth in the league. Minnesota's offense is in the middle of the pack when it comes to scoring, averaging 24.6 points per game, which is the 14th-best in the league.
- The Bears hold a big advantage in the running game. Chicago is allowing just 84 rushing yards per game as Minnesota only has 91.7 rushing yards per game. So, you might want to steer clear from starting a Minnesota running back on your fantasy team this weekend.
- Luckily for the Vikings, the Bears pass defense isn't as strong. Chicago is 13th in the league in pass defense, allowing 235.6 passing yards per game.
Vikings vs. Bears betting odds
The Bears are 2.5-point favorites at home. The over/under is set at 44.5 points.
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