As is traditionally the case, Bears vs. Vikings is one of those must-watch rivalry games: Bitter NFC North foes facing off in the midst of an NFC North battle in which all four teams are still in the thick of the playoff race.
The Midwest combatants square off for their second matchup of the 2025 NFL season today at 1:00 p.m. ET on FOX, 10 weeks after Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy officially made his NFL debut and looked very mediocre despite leading the Vikings to a 27-24 victory in Bears’ head coach Ben Johnson’s debut.
Two months later, things have shifted. The Bears are 6-3, helped along by one of the most explosive offenses in football, while the Vikings have struggled with injuries on both sides of the ball, most notably a nearly two-month absence for McCarthy due to an ankle injury.
Check out our Bears vs. Vikings predictions, Sunday pick, and the key stats and PrizePicks projections to know ahead of kickoff.
Bears vs. Vikings Predictions, Week 11 Football Picks
In this top-tier matchup between bitter divisional rivals, let’s preview each team and see how they stack up against one another.
Chicago Bears Preview vs. Vikings
The Bears have won six of their last seven games, going 4-0 in one-score games in the process. Given that the opponents during this stretch include the Giants, Commanders, Raiders, Cowboys, and Saints, it’s tough not to look at the schedule and say that any team worth its hypothetical salt would do just as well during that stretch.
QB Caleb Williams has stepped up this season in Johnson’s first year, logging way fewer sacks and looking much more comfortable in the pocket than he did in his rookie 2024 season. Having new offensive talents like TE Colston Loveland and WR Luther Burden III helps a great deal, but Williams continues to progress nicely.
On the injury front, the Bears will hope to have MLB TJ Edwards and S Jaquan Brisker for this game. Defending Vikings WR Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison is no easy task, and the Bears need to contain them if they hope to even this season series at one apiece.
Minnesota Vikings Preview vs. Bears
The Vikings have had a tough time this season, and we got a look at that all the way back in Week 1 when they met the Bears for the first meeting. McCarthy looked, well, he looked like a guy who was starting his first-ever NFL game.
Less than two weeks after that grizzly win against the Bears, McCarthy would suffer an ankle injury and miss the next seven weeks of action. Since his return, the Vikings have split two games, mixing a solid win against the Detroit Lions with a poor showing in a loss against the resurgent Baltimore Ravens.
McCarthy will have to show some things, starting with this game against the Bears, if he wants to prove to his head coach Kevin O’Connell that he is ready to be the long-term starter for this Vikings squad.
Despite suffering almost as many injuries as the San Francisco 49ers this season, the Vikings are returning to health at a good time. A lot of their offensive stalwarts, including RB Aaron Jones and OT Christian Darrisaw, are logging clean practices this week and should be good to go on Sunday.
Bears vs. Vikings Same-Game Picks for PrizePicks
Here are two Bears vs. Vikings same-game player picks for Week 11, spotlighting key projections to watch for J.J. McCarthy and Caleb Williams.
You can choose More or Less on these projections on PrizePicks — along with plenty of others — for a chance to win real money this NFL season.
Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy Projections vs. Bears: 22.5 Rush Yards
While McCarthy has disappointed somewhat in his handful of starts, he was always billed as a dual-threat quarterback, and that has come through in his de facto rookie year, averaging 28 rushing yards per game.
The Bears have struggled against mobile quarterbacks this year, allowing the most rushing yards per game to the position. They’ve allowed five different quarterbacks to have more than 23 rush yards in a game, including McCarthy in Week 1 when he ran for 25 yards.
In a game where Minnesota’s offensive line is getting healthier but is still a bit banged up, we can expect McCarthy to be on the move again and have a good shot at getting more than this projection.
Bears QB Caleb Williams Projections vs. Vikings: 1.5 Pass TDs
Plenty of people were ready to write the 2024 No. 1 overall pick off after a poor rookie year. However, Williams has looked much more confident in 2025 with a new offensive scheme and an offensive line that doesn’t have him running for his life.
This growth has led him to look more assured when throwing, and with his new playmakers starting to adjust, touchdowns could be coming in bunches. The Vikings have recently struggled against the pass, allowing 2+ passing touchdowns in four of their last five games.
Two playoff-level NFC North foes clash in this Sunday afternoon showdown — and there’s no better way to get in on the action than with PrizePicks.
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