New England Patriots at Chicago Bears, Solidier Field, Chicago, IL
Sunday, December 12, 2010, 4:15 pm EST, TV: CBS
Opening Line: Patriots -3
Current Line: Patriots -3
Opening Total: 45
Current Total: 38
Money Line: Patriots -140 / Bears +120
The Chicago Bears (9-3) have thrived in the underdog role all season but will be hosting a team on Sunday that turned in the most dominating performance of the year last Monday night in the New England Patriots (10-2). The Bears are an impressive 5-1 straight-up as underdogs compared to 1-4-1 against the spread as favorites and now face their biggest challenge when New England (-3) comes to town off a 45-3 thrashing of the Jets.
Chicago squeaked by Detroit on the road last week 24-20 after trailing 17-14 at halftime and giving up 253 yards to the Lions before the intermission. Bears head coach Lovie Smith then lectured his team at halftime, and the defense responded by allowing just 49 yards and three points in the last two quarters. However, Smith and his players know they will be playing a much different opponent this week in the three-time Super Bowl champions, who have averaged 40 points in their last four games.
The Patriots could not have played much better than they did on Monday night and will obviously be playing on short rest following a big win against a divisional opponent. But New England head coach Bill Belichick does not have the word “letdown” in his vocabulary and should still be well-prepared regardless of the situation. Belichick’s main concern should be his team’s 31st-ranked defense, which played well against New York at home but has struggled on the road. In their last three road games, the Pats have surrendered an average of 28 points despite a 2-1 record.
The weather is expected to be a factor for both teams’ offenses, as the total has dipped seven points from the opener of 45. There is a 70 percent chance of snow in Chicago with temperatures reaching the 20s and the wind making it feel more like single digits.
The Patriots have won 20 of their last 21 games against NFC opponents but will be facing a Bears defense that is giving up just 16 points per game, ranked third in the NFL. New England quarterback Tom Brady has not thrown an interception in the last seven games, totaling 17 touchdown passes since his last one in Week 6 against Baltimore. But Philadelphia’s Michael Vick had not thrown a pick this season before playing against the Bears, and his interception turned the tide in that game en route to a 31-26 loss.
Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler has seen his teams go a perfect 19-0 when he has a passer rating of 100 or more, something he has accomplished four times this season, including twice during his team’s current five-game winning streak. Cutler has gotten a lot of help from Bears running back Matt Forte since the bye week, as a balanced offense has translated to an efficient signal caller who has at times taken to running the ball himself when the pass protection breaks down.
Forte has averaged 79.2 rushing yards in the last five games, which may not seem like a lot but could be the difference against a Patriots defense that will be without their third-leading tackler. Rookie linebacker Brandon Spikes was suspended for the last four games of the regular season by New England for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
Chicago has won seven of its last eight December home games but has lost the last two meetings with the Patriots during the Brady era. The last meeting resulted in a 17-13 win for New England at home in 2006. Brady threw two interceptions and the Pats fumbled three times, but Bears quarterback Rex Grossman was even worse with three picks. The total on that game closed at 37.5.
Now that you have read this football betting preview featuring the Bears & Patriots, check out the NFL odds on this and all the games to compare the best lines at multiple sportsbooks.
