Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
Thursday, 9/13/12, 8:20 PM EST, TV:  NFL Network
Opening Point Spread:  Green Bay -5.5
Current Betting Line:  Green Bay -5
Opening Total:  49
Current Total:  49.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

Chicago earned an impressive 41-21 season-opening victory over the Indianapolis Colts as 10-point home favorites, while going “over” the posted total of 41.5.  “We got the guys,” commented Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall after the game.  The Bears won the statistical battle by a 428-356 margin, with the defense causing five turnovers.  Offensively, the team has to be pleased in notching its highest point total since the 2009 campaign.  Chicago is 0-4 ATS after covering as a double-digit favorite, while going 2-4 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points.

The Bears were happy to see quarterback Jay Cutler get over his early-game struggles of completing just 1 of 10 passes, finishing 21 of 35 for 333 yards and two touchdowns.  Chicago has a pair of running backs that can do some damage, with Michael Bush and Matt Forte combining to gain 122 yards on the ground.  Free agent acquisition Brandon Marshall has already made an impact in joining up with Cutler again, which figures to be a main them heading into the division opener against a secondary that looked shaky versus San Francisco.

Green Bay tried to put getting bounced out of last year’s playoffs in the divisional round behind them, but ultimately suffered a 30-22 setback to San Francisco as six-point home favorites on Sunday.  “As a team, when you lose, you want to get right back on the field,” stated Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk.  The Packers defense was hoping for better results after a terrible 2011 campaign, but ended up allowing 186 rushing yards and 211 through the air.  Green Bay is 11-6 ATS as a home favorite, with the “over” going 14-3 in that situation.

The Packers did show signs of being a play-making defense in the later stages of Week 1, notching four sacks and getting four stops in the final 19-plus minutes.  Green Bay is off to a much different start than a year ago, as the squad won its first 13 games before finishing with a 15-1 mark, which led the entire league.  Quarterback Aaron Rodgers ended up with 303 yards passing with two touchdowns and an interception.

Sports bettors will likely back the Packers due to their 2-0 ATS mark on Thursdays, while the Bears are 1-3 ATS as a road underdog of 3.5 to 7 points.

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