The Minnesota Vikings are rolling into Week 2 as significant 5.5-point underdogs against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, a line that makes total sense when you look at what Chicago just did to open their season. FanDuel Sportsbook released the early lines, and with an over/under set at 48.5 points, it looks like Vegas expects a high-scoring affair where the Bears are clearly in control.
A Win’s a Win, But That Vikings Offense Was Snoozing
Yeah, the Vikings got the win against the Green Bay Packers to start the 2026 regular season, a 39-22 comeback victory at U.S. Bank Stadium. That’s good, right? Except they were down 22-10 late in the third quarter! Their defense had to come alive in the fourth quarter, grabbing a pair of late turnovers just to make that happen. Here’s the kicker, though: they got outgained by the Packers by a staggering 180 yards, 419-239. Yikes. The offense was largely dormant for most of the afternoon, and that’s not exactly inspiring confidence.
And let’s not even start with the quarterback situation, because if you’ve followed the league, you know this story. Kyler Murray, the starter, played just eleven snaps in the first quarter of the opener before a nasty late hit from Packers defensive lineman Javon Bullard knocked him out with a concussion. It’s his first documented concussion, so nobody knows how he’ll react, but you better believe everyone is monitoring that situation closely. Carson Wentz stepped in and played efficiently enough, completing 12-of-19 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns, but he was mostly riding the coattails of that late-game defensive surge.
The Bears Dropped 59 Points And Nobody Is Ready
Now, let’s talk about the Chicago Bears. Holy smokes. While the Vikings were struggling to beat the Packers, the Bears were busy dismantling the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, putting up an absolutely absurd 59 points! No, that’s not a typo, fifty-nine. That’s the fourth-most points in their franchise history! Caleb Williams threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns, but the real damage came on the ground, with almost 300 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. Six!
Sure, their defense wasn’t perfect, allowing 37 points and letting Bryce Young throw for 361 yards and three touchdowns. But when your offense is putting up nearly 60 points, you can afford a few defensive struggles. The bottom line is the Vikings are going to need a much, much better all-around performance than they showed against the Packers if they want to even think about a victory against a Bears team that just went nuclear on the road.
The Vikings face a huge test this Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field, a noon Central Time start on the FOX family of networks. Can their offense wake up, especially if Murray is sidelined? Because if they play like they did in Week 1, Chicago is going to make them pay big time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Daily Norseman.
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