Pro Football Picks: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Chicago Bears
Sunday, 9/8/13, 1:00 PM EST
Opening Point Spread: Chicago -3
Current Betting Line: Chicago -3
Opening Total: 43.5
Current Total: 41
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

The Cincinnati Bengals are 5-0 ATS in their last five games as road underdogs of three points or less

Cincinnati went 3-1 during the 2013 preseason, as it looks to build upon its 10-6 record from a season ago, which is certainly possible with the talented third-year duo of quarterback Andy Dalton and wide receiver A.J. Green. The last three meetings in this series have been decided by an average margin of 25.3 points, which is hard to ignored when looking over the NFL betting lines Sunday. Head coach Marvin Lewis has compiled a 7-1 record against teams from the NFC North division, but he’s just 4-6 in season openers. Cincinnati is 5-0 ATS on the road as road underdogs of three points or less the last two-plus seasons.

The Bengals are certainly one of the better defensive teams in the league, considering they allowed 20 or fewer points in the final nine games of the 2012 campaign. Cincinnati’s defensive line is one of the more formidable groups around—contributing 43 of a team-record 51 sacks a year ago. The unit ranked sixth in fewest yards allowed, with first-team All-Pro defensive tackle Geno Atkins leading the way.

Chicago is set to play its first regular season contest under new head coach Marc Trestman, with the franchise looking to improve upon its 53-35-5 record in opening-day contests. The Bears are set to play two consecutive home games to open up a campaign for the first time since 1999, which must be considered when making your pro football picks in Week 1. The team currently has 10 rookies on its 53-man roster, with a few battling for potential starting positions. Chicago is 10-9 ATS as favorites since 2011, with the OVER going 12-7 in those 19 opportunities.

The Bears have 64 wins during home-opening affairs, which leads all NFL teams in that particular category, including victories in six of their last seven games in that situation. Quarterback Jay Cutler is expecting to have his best season in the Windy City, as he’s compiled a 81.9 passer rating and 82 touchdowns in 56 games played within the franchise. Running back Matt Forte has 7,652 career yards from scrimmage, while ranking third in team history with 15 100-yard rushing games.