The Bears and Vikings will clash on Monday night to wrap up Week 12 of the NFL Season. There are some stakes for both teams and some stakes for fantasy players. I’ll preview the game below, but first let’s consider what we learned from the rest of Week 12.

The Patriots are the NFL’s worst team

Yes, I know the Panthers and Cardinals have worse records but if you look at the rosters, I think both teams have more of a future core to build around than New England. If this isn’t the last season for Bill Belichick, it should be. Mac Jones appears to be broken beyond repair and could well have started his last game for the Patriots. After years of dominating, this team looks lost, and it doesn’t look like there will be any easy answers.

The Broncos are legitimate playoff contenders

I know, I’m as surprised as anyone. The team started 0-3 and dropped to 1-5. The team gave up 70 points in Week 3 in Miami. And yet, the Broncos are now 6-5, having won five straight. They’re the NFL’s hottest team with an aggressive and ambitious defense and have put together a winning record. There is still a ways to go in the crowded and competitive AFC, but the Broncos’ turnaround has been something impressive to watch, especially for a fan.

The NFC South is a trainwreck again

The Atlanta Falcons, at 5-6, would currently be the No. 4 seed in the NFC. That’s what the winner of the NFC South gets, the No. 4 seed. And for the second season in a row, it seems as if a team below .500 could well win it. The New Orleans Saints are 5-6. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 4-7. Only the lowly 1-10 Carolina Panthers seem to be out of the running. Will the race be interesting down the stretch? Probably. But it’s kind of rough to see teams with 10 wins potentially miss the playoffs in the AFC while the winner of the NFC South could be below .500. Do better NFC South.

And now, on to Monday Night Football.

Chicago Bears (3-8) at Minnesota Vikings (6-5)

The Bears entered the season with promise, but at 3-8 it’s another losing season. In fact, they could end up with two Top 5 picks in the draft and, perhaps, a new quarterback. That puts pressure on Justin Fields to show out the rest of the season. The Minnesota Vikings, meanwhile, started 0-3 and fought back despite missing Justin Jefferson and losing Kirk Cousins for the season. They need wins to remain in good position for a return to the post-season. This is a big game for both, who get a bye week in Week 13. Both want to head into the bye week on a winning note.

For the Bears, Fields is a QB2 with upside for me. The backfield is a mess with Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson and D’Onta Foreman all involved. If pressed, Herbert is the flex option I’d pick. In the receiving group, D.J. Moore is a WR2, while Cole Kmet is a borderline TE1 option for me.

For the Vikings, I like Josh Dobbs as a top-end QB2. He’s actually QB10 on the season, so he’s been delivering. In the backfield, Alexander Mattison is a low-end RB2, and Ty Chandler is a flex option. Still no Jefferson, which means I love T.J. Hockenson as a top option at tight end. I also like Jordan Addison as a WR2.

I’m taking the Vikings in this one.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.