Thanksgiving Day just would not be complete without a helping of NFL football. Week 12 of the season kicks off on Thursday with a Turkey Day tripleheader. Two NFC North Division rivals will square off in the early game as the Chicago Bears take on the Detroit Lions. This marks the second meeting between the teams this season, with Chicago claiming a 24-14 victory in the first edition. Can the Lions show out in their annual Thanksgiving Day home game and score their elusive first victory of the season? The NFL betting odds aren’t so sure, having sided with the visitors ahead of this Bears vs Lions contest.
The following Bears vs Lions NFL betting preview will give you the current odds, betting trends and picks for the Week 12 Thanksgiving Day matchup, along with a stream link to watch games all season long.
Bears vs Lions Week 12 Thanksgiving Day NFL Betting Preview
NFL Regular Season — Week 12 Thanksgiving Day
Chicago Bears (3-7, 1-4 Away) vs. Detroit Lions (0-9-1, 0-4 Home)
Date: Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021
Time: 12:30 p.m. EST
Venue: Ford Field — Detroit, MI
Coverage: Click here for the stream
Chicago Bears Preview
The Bears’ season has turned into a total debacle following last week’s incredible loss late to the Baltimore Ravens and backup QB Tyler Huntley. Reports out of Chicago suggest that head coach Matt Nagy has lost the majority of the locker room and could even be fired following this Thanksgiving Day NFL betting matchup. Speaking of backup quarterbacks, veteran Andy Dalton is expected to start on Thursday after rookie Justin Fields sustained an injury in last week’s game. While the media has been very critical of Dalton and really pushed for him to be benched in favor of Fields early in the year, he should actually benefit the Bears’ passing attack.
With that being said, the number of quality weapons that Dalton has to throw to is limited. Who knows if Allen Robinson will play and whether he will even care to pitch in if he does. Aside from Darnell Mooney and tight end Cole Kmet, the Bears’ receiving weapons are limited. Running back David Montgomery has also struggled since returning from IR. One facet of the game that the Bears could struggle with on Thursday is stopping the Detroit rushing attack. Chicago enters Week 12 ranked just 22nd in adjusted defensive efficiency against the run.
Detroit Lions Preview
Although the Lions remain winless on the season, they sure are playing teams tough. Look no further than a 6-4 ATS mark as proof that Detroit is close. After tying the Pittsburgh Steelers two weeks ago, the Lions fell by a field goal to the Cleveland Browns last weekend. They also were forced to start backup quarterback Tim Boyle in that game. All signs point to Jared Goff being back under center in Thursday’s matchup. D’Andre Swift ran wild on a solid Browns run defense with 136 yards and a score on just 14 carries. He will need to have another big game against a suspect Bears run defense if Detroit hopes to score the NFL betting upset.
Despite the goose egg in the win column, Dan Campbell continues to have his team ready to play each time out. Although the Lions rank at or near the bottom of the league in most defensive statistics, they have now held consecutive opponents to 16 points or less. With the additional motivation of playing in front of a national viewing audience on Thanksgiving Day, the Lions might very well approach Thursday’s game as their Super Bowl.
Bears vs Lions Odds and Spread
NFL betting odds for Bears vs Lions are taken from BetMGM Sportsbook.
Moneyline: CHI: (-175) | DET: (+145)
Spread: CHI: -3 (-110) | DET: +3 (-110)
Total: 41 — Over: (-115) | Under: (-105)
Public (Spread) Betting Percentages via Action Network: CHI: (48%) | DET: (52%)
Bears vs Lions NFL Betting Trends
- Bears are 0-5 straight up and 1-4 ATS in their last five games.
- Seven of the Bears’ last nine games have gone under the total.
- The total has gone under in seven of the Lions’ last eight games.
- Bears are 6-1 straight up and 5-2 ATS in their last seven head-to-head matchups against the Lions
- Lions are 7-10 ATS in their last 17 annual Thanksgiving Day home games.
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Bears vs Lions Stats
- Chicago is averaging 16.3 points per game (PPG) this season (No. 29 in the NFL).
- Chicago is surrendering 24.0 PPG this season (No. 21 in the NFL).
- Detroit is averaging 16.0 PPG this season (No. 30 in the NFL).
- Detroit is surrendering 27.3 PPG this season (No. 30 in the NFL).
Bears vs Lions Prediction
This Bears vs Lions NFL betting prediction uses NumberFire’s game projections. They give Chicago a 58.8% chance to win this Week 12 matchup.
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