EAGAN, Minn. – The Vikings (6-5) will host the Bears (3-8) at 7:15 p.m. (CT) in Week 12 for ESPN's Monday Night Football.
It will be the 126th overall meeting between the teams. Minnesota is 66-57-2 all-time and 39-24 when hosting (includes one playoff loss).
The Vikings have a five-game winning streak in the series that began in Minnesota's Inaugural Game (Sept. 17, 1961), which featured a dazzling debut by Fran Tarkenton.
Minnesota will try to rebound from last week's 1-point loss at Denver, which was the 45th Vikings game decided by one score since 2020, tying a four-season record by Washington (2007-10) and the L.A. Chargers (2019-22).
Here are all the ways to catch the action, followed by three things the Vikings.com editorial staff will be watching for during the game.
BROADCAST TV
ESPN (also airing nationally on ABC — KSTP in the Twin Cities)
Play-by-Play: Joe Buck
Analyst: Troy Aikman
Sideline reporter: Lisa Salters
ON MOBILE
Because this is a national broadcast, people will be able to watch the game on their iOS mobile devices with the Vikings app or Vikings mobile site (Safari browser only). The Yahoo! Sports app for smartphones and tablets offers another method for viewing live local and prime-time NFL games.
REGIONAL RADIO
KFAN (100.3-FM), KTLK 1130-AM and the five-state Vikings Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Paul Allen
Analyst: Pete Bercich
Sideline reporter: Ben Leber
Note: The pregame radio show on the Vikings Radio Network will begin at 5 p.m. (CT).
Audio Streaming Option: Catch the audio broadcast on your smart devices through the KFAN channel on the iHeart app.
NATIONAL RADIO
Westwood One (check listings)
Play-by-Play: Kevin Harlan
Analyst: Kurt Warner
SPANISH RADIO
Catch the Vikings on Tico Sports at WREY "El Rey" 94.9 FM and 630 AM in the Twin Cities and on Tico-Sports.com, elrey949fm.com and Vikings.com.
Play-by-Play: Gabriel Rios
Analyst: Isaias Zendejas
SATELLITE RADIO
Chicago: SiriusXM 81 or 226/Or in the app
Minnesota: SiriusXM 83 or 225/Or in the app
National: SiriusXM 88/Or in the app
ADDITIONAL OPTIONS
Click here for the full bevy of options that include over-the-air, cable, satellite, over-the-top and streaming methods.
NFL+ AND NFL+ PREMIUM
Start your free trial of NFL+ today to watch Vikings preseason games live or on-demand.
NFL+ and NFL+ Premium provide all the action when you are on the go. It is available in the NFL app and at NFL.com/plus.
NFL+ is available for $6.99/month or $39.99/year and offers the following:
- Live out-of-market preseason games across devices
- Live local and prime-time regular-season and postseason games on your phone or tablet
- Live game audio (home, away & national calls) for every game of the season
- NFL Films' on-demand content, ad-free
NFL+ Premium is available for $14.99/month or $79.99/year and offers all the NFL+ features and the following:
- Full game replays across devices (ad-free)
- Condensed game replays across devices (ad-free)
- Coaches film (ad-free)
THREE THINGS WE'LL BE WATCHING
Vikings Backfield Breakdown | By Ellis Williams
Last week, the Vikings re-established a one-two punch at running back.
Alexander Mattison and Ty Chandler combined for 154 yards on 28 carries against the Broncos. The Vikings finished with 175 rushing yards thanks to an additional 21 yards on eight carries by quarterback Joshua Dobbs.
That total was a season high as the Vikings used a variety of gap and zone runs to control the line of scrimmage. Minnesota hasn't had two backs gain 70 yards or more in the same game since Week 16 of the 2015 season.
The Vikings hadn't established a clear No. 2 running back since they lost Cam Akers to an Achilles injury in Week 9. However, Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell said Chandler has earned an expanded role in the offense.
"I think it's pretty obvious to see his burst, his athleticism," O'Connell said of Chandler this week. "He's an exciting player with the ball in his hands. We try to find different ways to get it in his hands throughout the game. He does play a critical role right now on our offense to be a featured player, (and) we're continuing to add to his workload every single week because he has earned those opportunities. I'm excited about his long-term future, but I'm also excited about his opportunities coming up Monday night and how he can impact the game."
Whoever carries the ball for Minnesota needs to hold onto it. Mattison's second lost fumble of the year cost the Vikings a chance to build a commanding lead at Denver. Again this week, O'Connell stressed the importance of ball security.
"It's very important that our guys understand how important it is to possess the football," O'Connell said. "It is a winning and losing stat, regardless of the team that I coach or any of the other 31 teams in this league, but for us, you just look at the numbers when we can break even on the stat since the start of last year, I think those numbers are pretty strong."
Can Defense Resume Takeaways | By Lindsey Young
The Vikings lost the turnover battle at Denver 3-0.
While ball security on offense certainly is a focus, Minnesota's defense also places an onus on itself to create takeaways – something that didn't happen on Sunday Night Football.
"Defensively, we thought we were playing a really good game. [But it] could have been better," Josh Metellus said following the Vikings 21-20 loss. "Obviously we didn't get the ball [away from] them – turnovers would have helped the game significantly – so we've still gotta be better in that aspect."
Added fellow safety Camryn Bynum: "We've gotta take the ball away and get those more important stops. Especially at the end of the game."
Before Denver, the Vikings had stacked five straight games with at least one turnover gained by the defense. That streak started in Chicago in Week 6, when Jordan Hicks recovered and returned a fumble forced by Metellus for a touchdown, plus nabbed an interception of Bears quarterback Justin Fields, and Byron Murphy, Jr., picked off backup QB Tyler Bagent after Fields left the game with an injury.
"At the end of the day, we've gotta string together good plays. We've gotta force the offense to snap the ball over and over and over, and when we keep doing that, [good things] happen," Metellus said that week.
The Vikings will host the Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium for Monday Night Football, and Fields is back in the huddle for Chicago. After a big turnover game against the division rival last time, will Minnesota get back on the takeaway board?
Improv hour | By Craig Peters
This will be the first time we see the Vikings defense under Flores go against an opponent for the second time within a season, which has plenty of intrigue, but I'm curious to see the ways Dobbs' ability to improvise might reduce the general familiarity that comes with every season's second divisional games.
Last week, Dobbs extended the play on a scramble, shedding a tackle by Jonathon Cooper and then moving to throw a 3-yard pass to tight end Josh Oliver. Dobbs has also shown a connection with T.J. Hockenson on plays that have been extended.
"Get open, stay open, I think is the biggest thing. You've got to get open for him for the first read, and then once he makes something happen with his play, with his legs, the play continues and you can make some things happen," Hockenson said. "That's just been the message throughout this team, 'Get open first and try to stay open as much as you can to make it work for him,' because he does run around a lot but he keeps his eyes downfield and is ready to throw you the ball, and that makes it hard on defenses, so it's been fun for the last three weeks to be able to play with him."
Dobbs was asked about balancing the desire to extend the play through a pass versus deciding it's time to run with the ball and said, "It just depends on the situation. Obviously when you're in the red zone, ideally — especially third downs, those are huge plays in the game.
"It goes from kicking field goals, three points, to obviously scoring touchdowns, which is seven points," Dobbs added. "And in the National Football League where games are usually decided from two, three points each and every Sunday, those are the plays that change the game. … I want to try to exhaust every option. … So, it's a give and take; it's a little bit of a balancing act, but it's all about knowing the situation. Knowing when you have an opportunity to fight another down, knowing when they do have a good play call on defense and, 'Let's unfortunately take a sack so we can kick a field goal to get our three points,' or 'I have an opportunity to extend the play, find somebody downfield or run it in with my legs. Let's make the most of those opportunities.' "
