Seven teams from the NFC make the playoffs. The Minnesota Vikings currently sit in eighth place.
With regular-season games starting to run out, the Vikings (6-7) will be feeling the urgency of trying to pick up wins as they cling to their postseason lives. Last week's home victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers was a step in the right direction, but now the Vikes head out on the road, where they have a 2-5 record.
Their opponents, the Chicago Bears, are a NFC North divisional foe and a team that they'll face twice over the next month. The Bears (4-9) are nowhere near the playoff picture and are coming off a 15-point humbling by the Green Bay Packers last week.
If Minnesota's going to grab on to a playoff spot, victories against a struggling Chicago team would go a long way towards achieving that goal.
"We have to take care of our own business," Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said. "This game is extremely important to us, as the next three will be. Like every year, you're just trying to add up as many [wins] as you can.
"I think our guys understand that this is basically a four-game season for us.
"We've talked about that as far as what we need to do to get to where we want to be."
Here's more info about the matchup, plus everything to know about how to watch "Monday Night Football."
Who plays on "Monday Night Football" this week?
- Matchup: Vikings vs. Bears
- Location: Soldier Field in Chicago
The Vikings lead the all-time series, 61-57-2.
What time is the Vikings vs. Bears game?
- Date: Monday, December 20
- Kickoff time: 8:15 p.m. ET
The 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff time is standard for Monday night games.
How to watch "Monday Night Football" in Canada: TV, live stream
- TV channel: TSN
- Live stream: DAZN
Vikings vs. Bears — like every NFL game during the 2021 season — is available on DAZN Canada.
DAZN Canada is the only place to watch NFL Game Pass, with access to every regular-season NFL game (including Monday, Thursday, Sunday afternoon via NFL Sunday Ticket, and Sunday night games) and every playoff matchup. Each game is available live and on demand.
DAZN Canada is also where NFL fans can watch RedZone — every touchdown, every game, every Sunday.
The "Monday Night Football" game between the Vikings vs. Bears is also available on TSN.