Bears vs. Vikings 2015 picks and predictions: Minnesota heavily favored to get bounce-back win

The 8-5 Minnesota Vikings trail the Green Bay Packers by one game in the NFC North, and Minnesota currently holds the last wild card spot in the conference. Despite losing three of their last four games, a win over the Chicago Bears at home in Week 15 could help the Vikings clinch a playoff bid. They would also need losses or ties from some combination of the Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington, Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants.

Chicago's defense has been solid against the pass, and the Bears present a tough matchup for Teddy Bridgewater, who has thrown just one touchdown and two interceptions in his last three games. The Bears are ranked second in the NFL against the pass, allowing just 215.8 passing yards per game. Minnesota's run game, centered around Adrian Peterson, is its strength, and Minnesota has an opportunity to exploit the Bears' defense, which is allowing an average of 125.7 yards per game.

The Bears have had a lot of close losses over the past few weeks, losing by less than a touchdown to Washington in Week 14, the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13 and the Denver Broncos in Week 11. The last time the Bears and Vikings faced each other back in Week 8, Chicago lost by just three points. Jay Cutler is 8-4 against the Vikings over the course of his career, and Minnesota has petered out a bit after a strong start. It's possible the Bears will be able to pull off a win on the road. The experts, however, don't believe they will.