Vikings: 3 ways NFL screwed Minnesota over with 2022 schedule
By John Buhler
2. Week 18: at Chicago Bears (Sunday, Jan. 8)
The Chicago Bears?! Are you flipping kidding me? No, for real. This is a dangerous game for the Vikings for so many reasons. It is the final game of the season, and even though the rebuilding Bears may have long been out of the playoff mix, they are getting the Vikings at home and presumably in bad weather. This comes right after the Vikings play Green Bay at Lambeau Field.
Though Cousins has historically held his own vs. the Packers, the road date at the Bears is a prime letdown game for the Vikings for so many reasons. Whether it is the weather, the Vikings not taking the Bears seriously or any other possible factors, this has the chance to be the Minnesota version of the 2021 Indianapolis Colts heading down to Duval and losing the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In short, the Bears could play loose because they have nothing left to lose. Expect for Minnesota to play tight into this one, as a playoff berth or playoff positioning could be in play heading into the final weekend. With Soldier Field being one of the worst playing surfaces in the league, we could see the latest snakebitten, unmitigated disaster of epic proportions for long-suffering Minnesota.
The Vikings are way better served playing a team like the Packers in the final week of the season.