Vikings vs. Bears NFL Week 18 injury report, odds: Spread jumps with Chicago starting Nathan Peterman over injured Justin Fields at QB

The Bears enter Sunday's season finale against the Vikings on an NFL-high and franchise-record nine-game losing streak. A tenth straight loss would guarantee the team no worse than the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and keep a shot at No. 1 alive. Head cooach Matt Eberflus has announced that banged-up franchise quarterback Justin Fields will take a seat for journeyman Nathan Peterman. That has jumped visiting Minnesota from -5.5 to -8 at Caesars Sportsbook and the total from 46 to 44.5.

This news means Fields will not break the single-season QB rushing record of 1,206 yards set by Baltimore's Lamar Jackson in 2019. Fields has 1,143 yards n the ground. This is a smart decision by the Bears, though, as he is very banged up both in his shoulder and foot, and is now dealing with a hip injury as well. Following Sunday's blowout loss in Detroit, Eberflus had said Fields would start in the season finale against the Vikings as long as he was healthy. Fields took a total beating against the Lions and apparently suffered the hip injury during that game, yet played the entire way in a rout. He reported the hip injury to Eberflus on Monday.

Trevor Siemian started this season as Fields' backup but was put on injured reserve about a month ago, making way for Peterman. It's not hyperbole to call Peterman one of the worst QBs this century. The 28-year-old has started four career games, all with Buffalo in 2017 & '18, and is 1-3. Overall in 12 games, he is 74-for-141 (52.5%) for 598 yards, three TDs and 13 picks for a rating of 32.2. Quarterbacks essentially get a better rating by simply taking a snap from center. For perspective, the qualified QB with the worst rating this season is Zach Wilson at 72.8.

Chicago will pick first in the 2023 draft if it loses and Houston wins at Indianapolis -- a very realistic possibility given that the Colts have essentially quit.

Minnesota won the NFC North weeks ago and has little to play for Sunday because it will either be the No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the playoffs – likely No. 3 with the Niners expected to rout Arizona later Sunday.

The Vikings are 11-0 in one-score games this season, the most such wins in a single season in NFL history. Justin Jefferson, held to just one catch last week vs. Green Bay, is 194 receiving yards shy of Calvin Johnson's single-season NFL record of 1,964.

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