After one of the worst offensive performances in team history against the Cleveland Browns, the Chicago Bears (1-2) are home to face their NFC Central Division rival, the Detroit Lions (0-3). The Bears still have questions at who will lead the offense against the Lions on Sunday.
In NFL betting, the Bears are the home favorite at -3 on DraftKings, Caesars Sportsbook, BetMGM Illinois and Borgata Sports, and -2.5 at Tipico.
Chicago is a -145 moneyline favorite at DraftKings Illinois and Caesars and a -150 favorite at BetMGM, Borgata Sports and Tipico. The game is 1 p.m. on FOX.
Illinois sports betting over/under totals range from 41.5 to 42 on those five aforementioned online sportsbooks.
The Lions are a +125 moneyline underdog at DraftKings, Caesars, BetMGM and Borgata Sports and are +122 on Tipico for those taking part in Illinois online gambling.
Bears Have On & Off Field Questions
A lot of moves are happening in Chicago and some have nothing to do with what’s happening on the field. But the quarterback question has dominated in Chicago this week.
Last Sunday, the Bears decided to start former Ohio State phenom and rookie quarterback Justin Fields due to an injury to starter Andy Dalton and the Browns took full advantage.
Fields was just 6-of-20 for 68 yards, ran three times for 12 yards and was sacked nine times in a Browns 26-6 home victory. The 68 yards were the fewest by a player making his first career start since Nathan Peterman (66 yards) in week 11 of the 2017 season.
The nine sacks were the most of a QB making his first career start since Greg McElroy was sacked 11 times in his only career start in Week 16 of the 2012 season.
The Bears generated 47 total yards (second fewest in a game in team history) on 42 offensive plays last week.
This week, Bears head coach Matt Nagy has said Dalton, Fields and former Super Bowl champion Nick Foles are all up for the starting job against the Lions.
Not only that, the Bears announced on Wednesday they have purchased the entire land parcel of former thoroughbred racetrack Arlington Park (which ran its last race on Sept. 25) from Churchill Downs.
A Comeback, Then Heartbreak
After a scoreless first half last Sunday, the Lions rallied for 17 points in the second half to take the lead. Then Ravens kicker Justin Tucker hit a last-second, NFL record 66-yard field goal to give Baltimore a 19-17 win in Detroit.
Despite the length of the field goal, it wasn’t shocking that Tucker made it. He is 16-for-16 on field goal attempts in the final minute of regulation in his career, the most successful field goals without a miss in the final minute since at least 1983.
Lions quarterback Jared Goff was solid, completing 22-of-30 passes for 217 yards. But he threw for no touchdowns. Running back D’Andre Swift had 107 total yards — 47 yards rushing on 14 carries 60 yards on seven catches.
Who's Going to Win?
Prediction: When you look at it, the Bears just have a lot going on with so many questions that still have to be answered. The Lions have played strong halves in both their losses at the Green Bay Packers (35-17, where they had a 17-14 halftime lead) and to the Ravens.
You get the sense something is being built with Goff and his young running back in Swift and that their hard work could pay off soon in the team’s first win. The Lions are getting points and in better shape. Lions 27, Bears 17.
