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The Kansas City Chiefs host the Chicago Bears in the final preseason contest on Thursday before the start of the 2024-25 regular season. It is time to continue our NFL odds series with a Bears-Chiefs prediction and pick.
The Chicago Bears are 3-0 in the preseason. With the Hard Knocks cameras following them around at all times, it seems the players are making the most of the attention, despite not wanting it. They have been brilliant so far. In three games, the Bears have scored 21+ in each with a combined 81 points. Caleb Williams looks like a future superstar and the defense is keeping opponents out of the end zone. They defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 27-3 and now take on the reigning Super Bowl Champions at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Chiefs are winless so far in the preseason but to no one's concern. The Detroit Lions defeated the Chiefs 24-23 last weekend. Andy Reid will not play his starters against the Bears. In the first quarter against the Lions, Patrick Mahomes finished 8-14 for 93 yards. Travis Kelce had one catch for eight yards. It's a small sample size but it's proven that these players benefit from the extra game reps. The backups will take on a Bears team that is hungry and even though it's preseason, they should give us a great beginning of the game.
Here are the NFL Preseason odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Preseason Odds: Bears-Chiefs Odds
Chicago Bears: -1.5 (-115)
Moneyline: -125
Kansas City Chiefs: +1.5 (-105)
Moneyline: +105
Over: 32.5 (-105)
Under: 32.5 (-115)
How to Watch Bears vs. Chiefs Preseason
Time: 8:20 ET/5:20 PT
TV: NFL Network
Stream: fuboTV (Click Here for free trial)
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Why The Bears Could Cover The Spread/Win
Caleb Williams' preseason is over. Head coach Matt Eberflus said that he will not play a majority of starters against the Chiefs. The next time we see the No. 1 overall pick will be Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans.
This means we will likely see a lot of Brett Rypien, who is earning himself the backup role with his play. The former New York Jet is in his first season on the team and even though Tyson Bagent was the backup and started some games last year, it's clear Rypien's play is proving to be slightly more valuable. Rypien is 15-21 for 229 yards and three touchdowns in the preseason. Bagent is 14-19 for 150 yards and two TDs.
Another name who is earning a spot on the team and should, is Dante Pettis. Pettis has five catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns, which both came last contest in the win over the Bengals. Pettis is a valuable special teamer and has skills at the wide-out position. He could earn a spot on the depth chart behind Keenan Allen, DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, DeAndre Carter, and Velus Jones Jr.
If the defense continues their domiance then they should cover this spread and win by a few points. They haven't allowed a TD since the Hall of Fame game.
Why The Chiefs Could Cover The Spread/Win
As mentioned above, Reid does not plan to play his starters, according to Hailey Lewis with Chiefs News Daily. This means that Reid is content with what he has seen so far in these preseason games and does not want to risk an injury. There are some players like rookie Xavier Worthy (if he plays) and some of the other receivers who could benefit from a good performance. Hollywood Brown is banged up and the Chiefs could use an extra wideout for the season opener if he isn't healthy. Skyy Moore, Justin Watson, Mecole Hardman all need to play well to make sure they have a spot on the roster.
Carson Wentz should get a majority of the reps. Even if the Chiefs don't keep him for the regular season, this could be a good showcase for him for other teams. QB Chris Oladokun is also playing very well this preseason. He has 184 yards and a touchdown while completing 13 of 17 passes. The former South Dakota State QB is aiming to be on an active roster for the first time in his career.
Final Bears-Chiefs Prediction & Pick
It's a bummer that we won't get to see Williams face off against Mahomes. This contest won't be the battle we want it to be, however, there should still be some fireworks between players aiming to make the roster. I like the Bears to cover the spread as they finish 4-0 in the preseason, propelling them to a solid season led by the rookie under center.
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Final Bears-Chiefs Prediction & Pick: Bears -1.5 (-110)
