The stakes couldn’t be higher for the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions out of the gate in Week 1, as they open with an NFC North Divisional showdown against one another. Both teams were marred by injuries and inconsistency and fell short of the postseason in 2019. The following betting preview will find the best Week 1 NFL odds for Bears vs. Lions, as well as give you some trends and NFL picks.
Bears vs. Lions Week 1 NFL Odds
- Opening Lines: FanDuel opened the game as Lions -1.5; O/U 46.5
- Current ATS Line: Lions -2.5
- Over/Under: 44.5
- Location: Ford Field, Detroit, MI
- Start Time: 1 pm ET
- Television: FOX
- Last Meeting: November 28, 2019 – The Bears defeated the Lions 24-20 in Detroit
- Attendance: No fans will be allowed to attend Sunday’s game
Bears vs. Lions Overview
After winning 12 games and an NFC North title in 2018, last year was a major setback for the Bears. Matt Nagy’s offense went stale, so much so that Chicago went out and brought in Nick Foles to compete with Mitchell Trubisky for the team’s starting quarterback job in training camp. Trubisky has been named the starter for Week 1, but just how long his leash is remains to be seen.
Lead Bears running back David Montgomery suffered a groin injury during camp, and while he has returned to practice, his level of participation is unclear. Pass-catching back Tarik Cohen could wind up with an expanded role this weekend alongside receivers Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller. After ranking in the top 10 in adjusted defense last season, the Bears D will look to pick up where it left off.
The Lions 2019 season was essentially over as soon as Matthew Stafford’s was. The 32-year old signal-caller only played in 8 games before missing the entire second half due to an injured back. Detroit didn’t win another game after a 3-4-1 start. Stafford is fully healthy now, and the Lions will undoubtedly put together a better campaign with him under center for an entire season.
The Detroit backfield has a new look to it this year. Kerryon Johnson is now accompanied by rookie second-round pick D’Andre Swift and the ageless Adrian Peterson, whom the Lions picked up after he was cut by the Washington Football Team. Kenny Golladay is likely out at wide receiver for Detroit, unfortunately, which has cause the NFL odds to move slightly. Improvement from Matt Patricia’s defense will be paramount to the Lions’ success this season. Time will tell whether No. 3 overall pick Jeff Okudah can sufficiently replace Darius Slay at corner.
Bears vs. Lions Betting Trends
- Chicago was 1-6 against the spread (ATS) in its last seven games of the 2019 season.
- The total has hit the under in 14 of Chicago’s last 20 games.
- Detroit was 2-9 ATS in its last 11 games of the 2019 season.
- The total has hit the under in six of Detroit’s last nine games against Chicago.
Bears vs. Lions 2019 Stats
- Chicago averaged 17.5 points per game (PPG) during the 2019 season (No. 29 in NFL).
- Chicago surrendered 18.6 PPG during the 2019 season (No. 4 in NFL).
- Detroit averaged 19.1 PPG during the 2019 season (No. 25 in NFL).
- Detroit surrendered 26.4 PPG during the 2019 season (No. 26 in NFL).
Bears vs. Lions NFL Picks and NFL Odds
Prop Bet
Winning Margin 4-Way: Lions by 1-13 Pts | +145 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
I like the Lions to win this game, and the NFL odds are thinking the same. Chicago’s offense can’t be any worse than last season, but I am not comfortable backing a team that has QB questions and a potentially limited lead running back. With that said, the Bears’ defense is good enough to keep them in games, especially in Week 1 when NFL defenses should be ahead of offenses in general. Add in the COVID-19 offseason and that discrepancy could be even more pronounced this year. The winning margin should be comfortably within two touchdowns. At +145, Detroit to win by a margin of 1-13 points offers far better value than a straight moneyline bet.
Bears vs. Lions NFL Pick
The NFL odds and line movement from 1.5 up to 3 clearly shows the betting market is in favor of the Lions in this divisional showdown. Betting the spread at its current price point makes some sense for Bears’ backers to ensure you get the full field goal margin. Given that I am on the Lions in this game, I’m opting to steer clear of the point spread and instead focus on the total.
Even with Stafford back under center, Detroit still has to contend with Khalil Mack and a formidable Bears defense. On the other side of the ball, who knows what Trubisky and the Chicago offense will look like. The narrative surrounding the Lions this offseason has centered around 2020 being a make-or-break year for Patricia’s defense. Expect both defenses to dictate much of Sunday’s game, with points not exactly being scored in bunches.
Pick: Total Under 44.5 | -115 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
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