It seems only fitting that the win moving New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick past George Halas into sole possession of second on the all-time wins list would come against the Chicago Bears. During his entire career as a player, coach and owner, Halas was a Bear, earning him the nickname “Papa Bear.” Enough of the history lesson, let’s talk about the present, which has been good to the Patriots. The Pats have three straight payouts with a pair of convincing wins putting them at .500 entering the Week 7 Monday Night Football tilt. They’ve been so impressive the line has been wagered up to New England -9.
Bears vs Patriots Date, Time, Where To Watch
The Week 7 Monday Night Football contest between the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots will take place Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA at 8:15 p.m. ET on October 24, 2022 and will be televised on ESPN.
Bears vs Patriots Odds
Chicago Bears +9 ( +317 )
New England Patriots -9 ( -400 )
Over/Under 39.5
Odds Analysis
Teams headed in opposite directions have the line moving. New England was a solid home favorite on the opening line laying 6-points and after getting pounded by the betting public the spread moved to Pats -9. That’s a pretty significant jump but not unexpected considering recent results. The Pats looked awesome last week dismantling Cleveland 38-15 as a 2.5-point road dog. In Week 5 the Pats shutout the Lions, who entered as the NFL’s highest scoring team. A positive start to the season has gone sour for the Bears. They dropped their last three games and four of five overall with a 1-3-1 ATS ledger. Points could be at a premium which is why the total is below 40.
Chicago Bears
Offense continues to be a problem for the Bears, who enter this contest ahead of only Denver in points per game with 15.2. We’ve seen a few signs that Justin Fields could be the QB to lead the club out of its years-long slumber, but not enough to prop up a winning team. The Bears can run the football behind Khalil Herbert and David Montgomery taking some pressure off Fields. Herbert averages an NFC leading 6.4 yards per rush attempt and the Bears boast the second-best ground game in the NFL averaging nearly 171 yards. Most good teams, or at least ones that have a decent offense, have balance in their attack. And that’s where Chicago falls short.
It’s kind of amazing Chicago has been able to run the ball so effectively since there is little threat through the air. Someone has to be at the bottom of the rankings and when it comes to passing yards it’s the Bears. Three games into the season they were averaging fewer than 100 yards, though they have kicked that up to 122.8. It’s no wonder since they’ve attempted and completed the fewest passes in the NFL. And despite that they are tied for the most sacks allowed leaving Fields little time to develop a passing attack. If forced to throw the Bears are in trouble.
New England Patriots
With Mac Jones apparently ready to return to work the question is will he? The Pats discovered another gem in fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe, who’s been solid in his three games. Taking over for Brian Hoyer at Green Bay in Week 4, Zappe completed 10 of 15 for 99 yards and a touchdown in the 27-24 OT loss when catching 10-points. Over the last two games when the Pats outscored Detroit and Cleveland 67-15 in a pair of payout wins, Zappe completed 74.5 percent of his passes for 497 yards and three touchdowns. The Pats had their highest scoring game of the season beating the Browns 38-15 with Zappe throwing for 309 yards and two TDs without a pick.
Having three different starting QBs already this season hasn’t affected the offense too much. The Pats rank in the middle of the pack in total offense and scoring with some help from a running game that averages over 131 yards. And they cashed the OVER in three of their last four games. The one that finished below the total was the blanking of the Lions, who entered the contest as the league’s highest scoring team. On paper this looks like it could be a blow out for the Pats, but as we know the games aren’t played on paper.
Bears vs Patriots Prediction
There is a path to a Bears cover and possible upset. If Chicago can run the football effectively and let Fields take shots on his time the offense can produce some points. And if the game stays close they won’t have to rely on a feeble passing attack. That’s much easier said than done, but I do like Chicago’s defense to make a stand as the Bears try to end their slide.
Prediction: Chicago Bears +9 and UNDER 39.5
