The Chicago Bears (3-6) host the Detroit Lions (2-6) for an NFC matchup at Soldier Field on Sunday. The Lions surprisingly took down Aaron Rodgers and the Packers last week with a 15-9 win at home.
The defense picked off Rodgers three times while Jared Goff threw two touchdowns to lead the Lions to a victory.
The Chicago Bears, on the other hand, fell to the Miami Dolphins in a back-and-forth shootout that ultimately ended in a 35-32 loss.
Despite the losing effort, the Chicago Bears have nothing to hang their head about as they fell just short in Miami.
Justin Fields has been a breakout star on the offensive end, as he totaled three touchdowns through the air and 178 rushing yards on the ground.
Both of these teams are looking to make up ground in the NFC North, and this is a must-win with the playoffs inching closer and closer.
When it comes to Lions vs Bears best bets, let’s take a look at these two teams and check out the Detroit Lions stats and the Chicago Bears odds to determine who wins in one of this weekend’s NFL matchups.
Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears
Lions Current Odds
The Detroit Lions enter this matchup with Chicago as +2.5 point road underdogs (-110). In terms of the moneyline, the Lions are +120 to get an upset victory. The Over/Under for the matchup is 48.5 points (-110).
Bears Current Odds
The Chicago Bears enter this contest as -2.5 point favorites against Detroit at home.
In terms of the moneyline, the Bears are -140 favorites to win at home. When it comes to the total, the Over/under is listed at 48.5 points (-110).
Strengths and Weakness
Lions Strengths and Weakness
The Detroit Lions have displayed some incredible grit hanging in there with much more talented teams. The offense has been a strength for this squad as they rank seventh in the league averaging 377.3 yards per game.
Jared Goff has been the leader at quarterback with 14 touchdowns, while D’Andre Swift and Jamal Williams have provided a nice two-headed monster at running back.
Lions Defense
On the defensive side of the ball is where the Lions struggle mightily. Their defense entered this contest ranked dead last in both points allowed (29.3) and total yards surrendered per game (417.3), according to NFL team stats.
The Lions were second to last in takeovers before snagging three Aaron Rodgers interceptions in the red zone last week.
They hope to continue that stellar play if they want a chance in this road matchup. Things could get worse, however, as some of their top defensive players have hit the NFL injury report.
Bears’ Strengths and Weakness
Justin Fields has been a breakout star the last four weeks at quarterback for the Bears. Fields’ arguably had his best day as an NFL quarterback as the second-year player totaled four combined touchdowns.
Despite the loss, Field threw an impressive three touchdown passes and ran wild on the Dolphins for 178 yards and a score.
Bears Offense
Their offense has been one of the worst units in the league, but over their last three games, the Bears have averaged an incredible 31.3 points.
The offense has been the weakest part of their game after averaging 15.1 points over the first six games of the season. While the offense has since improved, the defense has been the biggest issue.
The Bears are one of the worst teams against the run this year, as they are conceding over 147 yards per contest.
Additionally, their defensive unit has been non-existent over their last three games, as they are surrendering almost 33 points per game over that span.
Team Season Forecast
Season Forecast for Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions defeated the Green Bay Packers 15-9 to get their second victory of the year despite it not being the prettiest of games.
Many Lions supporters have been experiencing poor spirits over the past few weeks thanks to a five-game losing streak; however, securing this victory is a huge boost to the team’s playoff hopes.
Lions’ Defense
The defense is arguably the biggest reason the Lions won at home, but the offense contributed just enough to keep the game in their favor.
They were able to stop the drives by intercepting Aaron Rodgers three times, including twice in the red zone, while securing the receivers and playing strong run defense the entire game.
The Lions remain in the must-win territory to keep their hopes alive for a playoff spot. The defense has been a huge problem, as the unit ranks dead last in yards allowed.
Lions’ Offense
The offense, on the other hand, has played a major role in their success up to this point, as the Lions are averaging 23.5 points per game.
Season Forecast for Chicago Bears
The Bears moved to 3-6 in the NFL standings on the year, and they also remain in the must-win territory with half the year already coming to a close. The Bears have started out slow but have quickly turned things around, at least on the offensive end.
In Sunday’s 35-32 loss to the Dolphins, Bears quarterback Justin Fields had his breakout game, wowing everyone with a record-breaking effort on the ground.
The most ever by a quarterback in a regular season, Fields rushed for 178 yards, according to NFL player stats.
Fields led the Bears to a chance to win in the dying seconds with 301 yards and four touchdowns to his credit.
The defense has been their biggest concern this year. The Bears, who normally have a strong defense year after year, have struggled against opponents in recent matchups.
Dallas posted 49 points a few weeks ago, while Miami had their way with 35 points.
What to Expect from this Matchup?
When it comes to Lions vs Bears best bets, this should be an offensive slugfest in Chicago. Both teams have defenses that have not shown up over the course of the season.
Detroit ranks dead last in defense, while the Bears are conceding almost 33 points on average over their last three contests.
Detroit has an excellent rushing attack and playmakers at wide receiver combined with a veteran quarterback to put up excellent numbers.
As for the Bears, Chicago has started to figure it out on the offensive end, and they seem to be getting the most out of Justin Fields.
NFC North
The NFC North has not been very strong this year, but both of these teams are still fighting for a playoff spot.
Detroit is an aggressive football team under Dan Campbell, and Matt Eberflus has started to figure out things offensively for Chicago. Expect this matchup to be another back-and-forth shootout.
Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears Prediction and Best Bets
When it comes to Lions vs Bears best bets, I really liked what I saw from Chicago last week. The Bears have simply turned it on when it comes to playing offensive football.
Justin Fields has been the best quarterback over the last three weeks, as the second-year pro has totaled eight combined touchdowns with just one interception.
The Bears have always had a solid defense, and now they are turning it up on the offensive end, making this team dangerous moving forward.
Who to Bet On?
On the other side, Detroit is not the most talented team, but they continue to play competitive football. Dan Campbell has been a tremendous coach for Detroit, and they pulled off another gritty win over the Packers last week.
Be that as it may, the reality is Detroit’s defense absolutely stinks, and Jared Goff and the offense love to turn the ball over.
The Lions have failed to cover the spread in four of their last five matchups, while Chicago has two wins against the spread in their last three contests.
Take Chicago and QB1 Justin Fields to win this one and cover the spread at home.
NFL Pick: Bears (-140)
NFL Pick: Bears -2.5 (-110)
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