Chicago Bears (3-4 SU, 5-2 ATS) vs. New Orleans Saints (4-2 SU, 4-2 ATS)
NFL Week 8
Date/Time: Sunday, October 29th, 1:00pm ET
Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome – New Orleans, LA
TV: FOX
by Bob, NFL Football Handicapper, Predictem.com
Point Spread:CHI +9 / NOR -9
Over/Under Total: 47.5
This Sunday at 1:00pm, the Chicago Bears will travel to the Big Easy to take on the NFC South’s first place team, the New Orleans Saints. Chicago enters this game with a record of 3-4 and they are just a couple of plays away from having an even better record than that while the Saints are playing well above expectations at 4-2 on the season so far. This will be the first meeting between these two teams since New Orleans went into Chicago and got a 31-15 win back in 2014.
The Saints as we speak are sitting as a 9 point favorite over the Bears at home and the total points are set at a 47.5 combined. The gamblers in Vegas however appear to be slightly leaning on the side of Chicago. 56% of the action likes the Bears getting the points while as for the over under, 61% does think this game goes over the 47.5 total. Both teams this season have winning records against the spreads and tend to do well based on what the books set them at.
As long as Drew Brees is playing quarterback, the New Orleans Saints will have a punchers chance in the NFC. New Orleans at 4-2 so far is playing much better than many thought…including myself. New Orleans is on a four game winning streak since starting the season 0-2. Through six games, they have the 3rd best passing offense in all of the NFL (duh) and this is also helped by a top ten rushing attack. Yes, we all knew coming in that the Saints would be able to play some offense, the real pleasure right now is that the Saints defense is ranked in the upper half of the NFL in scoring allowing just 22 points per game. With an offense as explosive as New Orleans, an average defense is all you need.
This weekend for the Saints, defense will be key. Chicago is still breaking in their rookie QB, Mitch Trubisky, who I think someday will be a good player, but he is going through his learning process as we speak and is still prone to make a mistake here and there. The Saints need to stop the run and force Trubisky to make throws. Not only is this on the defense, but if the offense can get up a couple of scores, then the Bears will have no option but let the young quarterback air it out.
Trubisky and the Bears will have their hands full this weekend against the Saints. Hostile environment and battling one of the league’s top offenses will not be an easy task, but it is not impossible. The Bears have shown they can play with anyone. They were a dropped pass away from beating the Atlanta Falcons in week one, then a couple of weeks later they took down the Pittsburgh Steelers. You really just never know which Bears team you are going to get. Statistically, the Bears passing game is awful but their run game is ranked top ten in the league. Led by Jordan Howard, the Bears are racking up over 125 yards a game on the ground, and this is just what they need to do to have a shot in this one. If Howard and the rest of the running backs can keep drives alive and the clock moving, it will keep Brees off the field and not let the Saints get rolling offensively. Chicago needs to shorten this game to have a chance to win and cover.
So what do I think happens? This is a tough one because both teams can play with anyone yet both teams can lose too. I am going to go with my gut and just say that nine points seems like too many. Yes the Saints have the ability to blow out the Bears, I just do not think they will. I like New Orleans to win the game, but I think Chicago keeps it somewhat close and respectable.
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