Expert Picks: It's Close, But Most Expect Vikings To Beat Bears
(CBS) It's the second game against the Vikings in three weeks and most of our experts from 670 The Score, CBS2 and WBBM Newsradio 780 & 105.9 FM think the Bears will lost this time. Here are their picks as the Bears go on the road to Minneapolis:
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| Brian Hanley | Dan McNeil | Terry Boers |
| Bears 24, Vikings 16 | Vikings 21, Bears 16 | Bears 22, Vikings 20 |
| Minnesota is one-dimensional on offense given Percy Harvin's absence and Christian Ponder's proficiency at quarterback. Adrian Peterson will get his 100-plus yards, but Bears will get much-needed win. | Minnesota has no passing game. The Bears have no running game. Defenses should dominate. And Cutler is due for a clunker. | I loved the Van Arsdale diet back in the day. 2 berries, 2 bran flakes and 2 lemon-scented pieces of cardboard 2 times a day. I lost 222 pounds in 22 days. And what about the reeling Bears, Dick? Bears 22, Vikings 20. |
| Record: 8-4 | Record: 9-3 | Record: 10-2 |
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| Hub Arkush | Dan Hampton | Matt Spiegel |
| Vikings 23, Bears 20 | Vikings 20, Bears 17 | Vikings 24, Bears 20 |
| Say what you want about the 2012 Urlacher model, but 85% of the original is still 20-25% better than Nick Roach at the Mike 'Backer, and Roach at the Sam is 20-25% better than anybody else the Bears throw out there. And no Tim Jennings? And now they get A.P.? | Lots of Peterson, a little Ponder two weeks after a laugher is going to be a high order for the Bears with nine starters unable compete the last two weeks. | Les Frazier leans on AP early and often, with crippling results. The Assembly of Misfits on the O-line fall prey to the dome crowd, committing false starts and yielding too much pressure. The Bears' slide continues. |
| Record: 8-4 | Record: 9-3 | Record: 10-2 |
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| Ben Finfer | Matt Abbatacola | Adam Hoge |
| Vikings 21, Bears 17 | Vikings 23, Bears 20 | Bears 24, Vikings 17 |
| The Bears are the better team, but that doesn't always matter in the NFL. It won't this weekend. Adrian Peterson will run all over the Urlacher-less defense in an ugly win for the Vikings. | Adrian Peterson rushes for 150-plus yards and, because it's Christmas time, Kyle Rudolph catches a touchdown pass. Bears fall to 8-5. | The same people who bashed Urlacher all season for being slow are now panicking because he's out. Which is it? The defensive line has still been good against the run and Ponder is bad. |
| Record: 9-3 | Record: 8-4 | Record: 9-3 |
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| Ryan Baker | Megan Mawicke | Josh Liss |
| Vikings 23, Bears 17 | Bears 23, Vikings 16 | Bears 29, Vikings 19 |
| The injury toll is becoming too taxing for the Bears. Vikings win on their turf 23-17. | The Bears seem to have the Vikings figured out recently and I don't see that trend coming to an end Sunday. But expect a tight game with a lot of Forte and Peterson. | Adrian Peterson may gut the struggling visitors with an improved running game, but Jay Cutler's signature performance as a Bears QB will keep the playoff drum beat going. Or else. |
| Record: 8-4 | Record: 11-1 | Record: 10-2 |
