The Chicago Bears are set for a divisional rematch against the Minnesota Vikings, but when will they take the field this week?
The Bears, who have lost seven consecutive games and are sitting at 4-9 on the season, are hoping to get interim head coach Thomas Brown his first career win when they head to the Twin Cities fir their second-to-last road game of the season.
Here’s what to know.
When do the Bears play this week?
Bears fans hoping for a Sunday in front of the TV watching the team will be disappointed to know that the Bears don’t actually play on Sunday.
Instead, the Bears have one of two Monday Night Football games this week, kicking off against the Vikings at 7 p.m.
What channel are the Bears on?
Local
The Bears’ game will air on ABC this week, and will also be available via the ESPN-Plus streaming service.
The other Monday night game between the Atlanta Falcons and Las Vegas Raiders will kick off at 7:30 p.m., and will air on ESPN.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly> Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
What should I know about the game?
The Bears played the Vikings in Week 12 of the season, storming back from a fourth quarter deficit before losing 30-27 in overtime against their division rivals.
Caleb Williams had one of his best career games in the contest, throwing for 340 yards and rushing for 33 more. He also threw two touchdown passes in the game, with DJ Moore catching one of them to cap off a seven reception, 106-yard performance.
The Bears will be without key playmakers on both sides of the ball Monday, as running back Roschon Johnson remains out with a concussion and defensive lineman Gervon Dexter Jr. will miss the contest with a knee injury.
Running back D'Andre Swift is questionable for the game with a quad injury, but is expected to play.
After losing two games in a row, the Vikings have now reeled off six consecutive victories, including a 42-21 dominating performance against former quarterback Kirk Cousins and the Falcons last week.
Quarterback Sam Darnold has thrown for 3,299 yards and 28 touchdowns for the Vikings, who currently sit at 11-2 on the regular season and are closing in on clinching a playoff berth. The Vikings are one game behind the Detroit Lions for the best record in the NFC, and will close the regular season against the Lions in a Week 18 showdown at Ford Field.
What other games can I watch Sunday?
The Week 15 slate is highlighted by a staggering mid-afternoon showdown between the Buffalo Bills and the Lions in Detroit. The Bills are 10-3 on the season and the Lions are 12-1, and according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the game is the fourth-best matchup of winning percentages in Week 15 or later since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.
The game will kick off at 3:25 p.m., and can be seen on CBS.
Fox will also have a big showdown at 3:25 p.m., as the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. The Steelers currently lead the AFC North and own the No. 3 seed in the AFC, while the Eagles are sitting at 11-2 and are still hoping to catch the Lions for the top record in the NFC.
The Sunday Night Football game on NBC and Peacock will also be a big one, as the Green Bay Packers, currently sitting at 9-4 and trying to keep pace in the NFC, will travel to the Pacific Northwest and take on the NFC West-leading Seattle Seahawks.
The Seahawks, currently a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Rams, are hoping to score a key win during the closing stretch of the season, and Bears fans will want to take note of this game, as they’ll face Seattle and Green Bay in the final two weeks of the regular season.