Trevor RipleySep 20, 2026
Ripley picks the Bears to beat the Vikings at Soldier Field in Week 2, 30-19, arguing Minnesota's offense is hobbled by injuries while Chicago's offense edges an aggressive but star-thin Vikings defense.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Trevor Ripley said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromBears: 30 Vikings: 19
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- Vikings at Bears: Who Wins And Why in Week 2
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidSep 20
- PlayedSep 20
- GradedSep 21
- 1Chicago Bears 30 — Vikings 19“Verdict Bears: 30 Vikings: 19”
- 2Carson Wentz to be 1st on the depth chart“Carson Wentz will get the nod at quarterback this week as Kyler Murray continues to recover from a concussion.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears 30 — Vikings 191 | Score Predictions | Vikings 9–3 | 38.1 | 34.49 | +7 | |
| Carson Wentz to be 1st on the depth chart2 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 2 calls · 1 miss · 1 waiting | 38.1 | 34.5 | ||||
Game calls show that game’s closing betting line under their grade: a dated fact from nflverse, for context and never part of a grade. MissedTakes takes no bets and earns nothing from any sportsbook.
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naive2 checkable claims — 1 depth chart call and 1 score prediction — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 2 have settled so far, averaging 38.1 out of 100, against 34.5 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Where this call stands in the room
Carson Wentz · 2026 season17 calls from 14 pundits between 1 and 2. Trevor Ripley said 1. the room's median is 2. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
1Score PredictionsChicago Bears
Chicago Bears 30 — Vikings 19
What happenedVikings 9–3called Bears by 11 · lost by 638.1Miss · naive 34.4938.1this call−34.49a naive guess=3.61better than naive×1.94difficulty=+7skillClosing line (Sep 20): Bears by 4.5, total 46.5 · this 30–19 calls a bigger Bears win (by 11) and more points (49).
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- score:
- 9-3
- skill:
- 7
- they picked:
- CHI
- season:
- 2026
- accuracy:
- 38.1
- baseline:
- 34.49
- difficulty:
- 1.94
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- actual margin:
- 6
- weeks left when called:
- 17
- naive home margin:
- −0.52
- predicted margin:
- 11
2Depth Chart CallsCarson WentzMinnesota Vikings
Carson Wentz to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
The game in this take
every pundit’s pick on eachWho this take is about
Others on the same people
Logan Lazarczyk · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Ahead of the trade deadline, they float three Raiders moves: shipping Kirk Cousins to Minnesota if the Vikings offer a second-round pick, selling Maxx Crosby to Dallas for a first-rounder plus, and acquiring Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a second- or third-round pick.Charean Williams · Roster Spot Calls · Odell Beckham Jr. · Miss 0
Williams writes that after releasing Odell Beckham Jr. to open a roster spot for Kirk Cousins, the Vikings will bring them back on the practice squad.John Middlekauff · Draft Bust Calls · Caleb Williams · Miss 0
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Pennock predicted Sam Darnold to Pittsburgh, Zach Baun re-signing in Philadelphia, Charvarius Ward and Jamien Sherwood to Washington, Cam Robinson to Chicago as left tackle, Cam Bynum to the Jets, Darius Slayton to the Chargers, Aaron Jones back to Minnesota and Aaron Rodgers to the Giants.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
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Previewing Week 9 running game matchups, Bodiford expects Jacksonville to win lopsidedly over a depleted Baltimore team, with Bhayshul Tuten sitting out and Chris Rodriguez taking over as lead back, while Joe Fagnano starts at quarterback for the Ravens. They also view Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman as an RB2 going forward.