Bears vs. Vikings prediction, odds, time: 2025 NFL Week 1 Monday Night Football picks from proven model

NFC North rivals will square off on Monday Night Football as the Chicago Bears host the Minnesota Vikings to conclude the Week 1 NFL schedule. The Bears ended last season at the bottom of the division with a 5-12 record, while the Vikings finished 14-3. Minnesota has also won seven of the last eight head-to-head matchups against Chicago, including both meetings last season.

Kickoff from Soldier Field in Chicago is set for 8:15 p.m. ET. Minnesota is a 1.5-point favorite in the latest Vikings vs. Bears odds, and the over/under for total points scored is 43.5. Before locking in any Bears vs. Vikings picks, be sure to see what the SportsLine projection model has to say. 

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The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks its since inception. The model went 31-15 on top-rated picks in 2024. Anybody following its NFL betting picks at sportsbooks and on betting sites could have seen strong returns.  

Now, the model has zoned in on Bears vs. Vikings. You can head to SportsLine now to see its picks. Here are several NFL odds and betting lines for Vikings vs. Bears:

Why the Vikings can cover

The Vikings went 11-6-0 ATS in 2024, covering in four of their last five regular-season matchups. That included a 30-12 win at home against the Bears where Minnesota was the 7-point betting favorite. Minnesota was also a good road team last year, going 6-2-0 away from home including a 30-27 overtime win at Soldier Field in Week 12.

J.J. McCarthy will finally get his first regular-season start after his entire rookie campaign was delayed due to injury. He will be dealing with a depleted receiving corps in Week 1 — Justin Jefferson isn’t 100% healthy and Jordan Addison is suspended — which could force him to hand the ball off quite a bit to Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason. The Bears defense gave up the fifth-most rushing yards per game last season (136.3). See which team to back at SportsLine. 

Why the Bears can cover

New head coach Ben Johnson will make his highly-anticipated debut on Monday Night Football, and his presence has given fans hope Chicago can start the season off with an upset win. The Bears were 8-7-2 ATS last season, but did keep the Vikings from covering the spread in Week 12.

Chicago beefed up its offensive line in the offseason, which should give Caleb Williams more room to work at home in Week 1. The defense held the opposition to 217.9 receiving yards per game in 2024 and is expected to put a lot of pressure on McCarthy, especially since the young QB didn’t get much gametime in during the preseason. See which team to back at SportsLine, and new users can also check out the latest bet365 bonus code to get $300 in bonus bets after placing a $5 bet:

How to make Bears vs. Vikings picks

For Bears vs. Vikings on Monday Night Football, the model is leaning under the total, and also indicates that one side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time. See what it is at SportsLine, and use promo code CHAMPIONSHIP to get your first month for $1 at SportsLine.

Who wins Vikings vs. Bears, and which side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Bears vs. Vikings spread you need to jump, all from the model that went 31-15 on top-rated picks in 2024, and find out.