Oddshark Has Vikings Losing Big

Will make the victory that much sweeter. 

What position he play?

The Bears have scored a league leading 82 points off of turnovers...  if Cousins can protect the football, the Vikings should have a good shot to win.  This won't be an easy game, but it's one the Vikings need to win if they are a serious Super Bowl contender.

We've always had a tough time playing on that crappy field, and the Bears are definitely gaining confidence. Their defense is no joke, while Trubisky and the offense is feeding off of it. They're just a couple pieces away from being scary good. 

The Bears have had the 4th easiest schedule so far.
(Unfortunately, the Vikings have had the 7th easiest)
https://www.fantasyindex.com/2018/11/06/scheduletron/revised-strength-of-schedule

I really don't go by strength of schedule.  To me it's the "On any given day".  Against any team, strong or weak...too many mistakes, penalties or just bad breaks can cost you a win no matter who you play.

That's fine. I think it helps the team to be considered the underdog. 

Well, OddsShark is 95-51 picking for the season, which just so happens to be exactly what I have on Pickem...  I haven't felt like I've done very well at 64% so...  :)

@"ArizonaViking" said: I really don't go by strength of schedule.  To me it's the "On any given day".  Against any team, strong or weak...too many mistakes, penalties or just bad breaks can cost you a win no matter who you play.

Yup.  Remember Bud's quote..."It's not who you play but when you play them."

We have a tough time in Chicago when they are a bad team...my expectations are low...

@"BarrNone55" said: We have a tough time in Chicago when they are a bad team...my expectations are low...

If the Bears run the ball well early that's going to set up a lot of the misdirection that Nagy loves so much. And you know he'll be scheming to get Cohen one on one with Gedeon and Barr. Same with Burton. And he'll go at Hill every chance he gets.

The Offense needs to score early and not turn the ball over. A fast, clean start will force the Bears to rely on Mitch's arm, and his accuracy issues are really their most glaring weakness.

I've stopped predicting games as I suck at it in a major way....I've just come to realize that I'm worried about every opponent.  :p

The NFL is SO unpredictable week to week.

@"FSUVike" said:

@"BarrNone55" said: We have a tough time in Chicago when they are a bad team...my expectations are low...

Yup. The 3 keys will be bigger then ever: Win the Turnover battle, minimize Drive Killing and Drive Prolonging Penalties, no Special Teams gaffes. Tall order.

If the Bears run the ball well early that's going to set up a lot of the misdirection that Nagy loves so much. And you know he'll be scheming to get Cohen one on one with Gedeon and Barr. Same with Burton. And he'll go at Hill every chance he gets.

The Offense needs to score early and not turn the ball over. A fast, clean start will force the Bears to rely on Mitch's arm, and his accuracy issues are really their most glaring weakness.

Apologize for being too lazy to look this up, what's the Vikes record coming out of their bye?

Got make Mitchell throw...Stop the run and I've heard you have to get pressure on him up the middle.

Limit his ability to hurt you running. He's their second leading rusher. Make him throw accurate passes? Good luck to him. 

Khalil Mack? Better account for him all the time. They will most likely move him around against the Vikings and Cousins. 

@"Wetlander" said: The Bears have scored a league leading 82 points off of turnovers...  if Cousins can protect the football, the Vikings should have a good shot to win.  This won't be an easy game, but it's one the Vikings need to win if they are a serious Super Bowl contender.

This. If we are for real, we must win this game. No excuses, rationalizing, or moral victories. I don't want to hear that we competed really hard, or left it all on the field, etc. Win. Win pretty; win ugly. I don't care. Just win this one.
Here's a game I won't be upset if we play a conservative style. Ball security will be the key. Cousins must know that if he does not see Khalil, it's because Khalil is right behind him. Take the sack or throw it away. No fumbles. No stupid passes.

@"dadevike" said:

@"Wetlander" said: The Bears have scored a league leading 82 points off of turnovers...  if Cousins can protect the football, the Vikings should have a good shot to win.  This won't be an easy game, but it's one the Vikings need to win if they are a serious Super Bowl contender.

This. If we are for real, we must win this game. No excuses, rationalizing, or moral victories. I don't want to hear that we competed really hard, or left it all on the field, etc. Win. Win pretty; win ugly. I don't care. Just win this one.
Here's a game I won't be upset if we play a conservative style. Ball security will be the key. Cousins must know that if he does not see Khalil, it's because Khalil is right behind him. Take the sack or throw it away. No fumbles. No stupid passes.

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"dadevike" said:

@"Wetlander" said: The Bears have scored a league leading 82 points off of turnovers...  if Cousins can protect the football, the Vikings should have a good shot to win.  This won't be an easy game, but it's one the Vikings need to win if they are a serious Super Bowl contender.

This. If we are for real, we must win this game. No excuses, rationalizing, or moral victories. I don't want to hear that we competed really hard, or left it all on the field, etc. Win. Win pretty; win ugly. I don't care. Just win this one.
Here's a game I won't be upset if we play a conservative style. Ball security will be the key. Cousins must know that if he does not see Khalil, it's because Khalil is right behind him. Take the sack or throw it away. No fumbles. No stupid passes.

I have a similar but totally different take. Er...something like that.

If we are for real, we blow them out. I don't want to hear that Chicago is a team on the rise. They have a 2nd year QB who couldn't hit a bull in the butt with a bass fiddle. And the Vikings are one of the best defenses in the NFL...if not THE best when fully healthy. And their line has two good young players in Whitehair and Daniels, but they're both very young and prone to mistake. I like that match up with Richardson and Joseph and the AA Gap. The rest of their line is league average so we have an advantage on the outside with Griffen and Hunter as well. Neither of their runners scare me. Howard and Cohen are lesser versions of Ingram and Kamara and we held them mostly in check. Allen Robinson is a lot better than most people think he is, but Rhodes is better and should be able to neutralize him. Anthony Miller vs. Alexander is a match up they win and that honestly scares me (Miller is a dangerous dude), almost as much as Mack v. O'Neill. 

Their defense is where they have a chance. Mack is the best pass rusher in the NFL and nobody is close. If he gets free and forces Cousins into bad-Kirk mode then this could get ugly, but everywhere else I like our offense at least holding serve with their defense. Fuller and Amukumura are good corners (Fuller is better), but they haven't seen receivers like T & D. And, unlike the last several defenses, the Bear corners play sides instead of shadowing, so Diggs should get his. Their slot corner, Callahan, is a league average player who's having a great season. Still, I like Thielen in that match up. 

The defenses are remarkably similar. Bears and Vikings give up the exact same yards per carry, both top 5 run defenses, both top half pass defenses. But the Vikings trajectory better than theirs. No matter, where we win this game is our defense against their offense.