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Monday Night Football wraps up every week of NFL action, and this week, we have another double-header. These games are important -- this late in the season, many matchups have serious playoff implications, so there's still plenty of reason to watch the contests that remain.
We're lucky enough to have a divisional matchup coming up tonight, and those are usually very interesting. It's always fun to see bitter rivals clash in an important game. The other game doesn't feature divisional rivals, but the chance for an upset is always there, which spices things up.
So who is playing football tonight? What times are the games set to start, and who will win?
The first game will feature a divisional battle between the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears. The Bears, who are 4-9, will take on the streaking 11-2 Vikings. Both teams have plenty to play for -- Minnesota finally has a chance to wrest control of the division lead from the Detroit Lions if they win the rest of their games.
There's not much margin for error, but this is the first in a series of must-win games, so it should be a good one.
.@BernsyHarris preview #Bears-#Vikings now with @westwood1sports play-by-play announcer Kevin Harlan.
🎧 https://t.co/6JOLSzmHQG
💻 https://t.co/gmrgjmKSzf pic.twitter.com/ZMZUtEtxSN— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) December 16, 2024
The second contest will feature the Atlanta Falcons, fighting for their playoff lives, facing the Las Vegas Raiders, who don't have much to play for other than pride at this point. This is also a must-win for Atlanta -- they've fallen behind in the NFC South by two games, and desperately need a W this week to have a better chance at winning their division.
It’s Gameday! Falcons at Raiders on Monday Night Football. #Raiders #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/hM9N2V9y2y
— OmniDesign Graphics (@OmniDesignGFX) December 16, 2024
The Bears-Vikings game will be broadcasted on ESPN+, ABC, and NFL+, and the matchup between Atlanta and Las Vegas will air on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and NFL+ as well. Both games can be watched with an ESPN+ subscription -- Chicago and Minnesota's matchup can be watched on television in areas where ABC is broadcasted over antenna.
The Bears will face the Vikes at 8:00 PM ET, and the Raiders and Falcons will square off starting at 8:30 PM ET. You can watch both games with a Sling TV, Fubo TV, or Youtube TV subscription if you want to do that as well.
Who is Going to Win?
This isn't a hard one to predict. The Bears have one of the worst offenses in the NFL, have undergone plenty of coaching turmoil, have thrown away close games repeatedly, and have a struggling rookie quarterback. Meanwhile, Minny have a fantastic offense and defense, are well-coached, and are loaded with star talent.
Playoff berth clinched ✅https://t.co/EXg2ISGZv9 pic.twitter.com/f6HxfS5qXb
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 16, 2024
One team has clinched a playoff spot, and the other has already been eliminated from contention. It would be a massive upset if Minnesota lost, considering how much they have to play for.
Meanwhile, the Raiders will likely be without their starting quarterback, Aidan O'Connell (knee). In his place, QB Desmond Ridder will start. His career has been pretty ugly to this point, and he's one of the worst of the 32 QBs to get playing time this week. The Falcons have a very poor pass defense, but it may not matter.
Raiders QB Desmond Ridder is expected to start tonight vs. the Falcons, per sources. Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell is listed as questionable and is expected to work out pregame to see if he can play, but Ridder is expected to start for now.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 16, 2024
This should be a cakewalk for Atlanta, but their porous pass defense could make things closer than they need to be.
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