The Chicago Bears will cross state lines as they battle the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday in Indiana. We're live from Lucas Oil Field, sharing our NFL odds series and making a Bears-Colts prediction and pick.
The Bears lost 19-13 to the Houston Texans in Week 2. Unfortunately, the offense struggled. Caleb Williams is slumping, and it continued in Week 2, when he went 23 for 37 with 174 yards passing with two interceptions. Additionally, he rushed five times for 44 yards. D'Andre Swift rushed 14 times for 18 yards, struggling to get anything off the ground. Meanwhile, DJ Moore had six catches for 53 yards, while rookie Rome Odunze had two catches for 33 yards. The offense had 15 first downs while going 6 for 17 on third downs with only 205 total yards. Moreover, they turned the ball over twice and allowed seven sacks.
The defense did its job. Ultimately, they garnered three sacks and forced a fumble. Chicago's defense will need to do more to stop a potent rushing attack.
The Colts lost 16-10 to the Green Bay Packers last weekend. Anthony Richardson went 17 for 34 with 204 yards passing, one touchdown, and three interceptions. Likewise, Jonathan Taylor rushed 12 times for 103 yards and had two catches for 32 yards. Alec Pierce paced all receivers with five catches for 56 yards and a touchdown. Conversely, Michael Pittman struggled again, with three catches on seven targets for 21 yards.
The defense could not force a single sack or turnover. They could not get off the field, losing the time of possession battle by over 20 minutes.
The Colts lead the head-to-head series 25-19, with their last showdown happening on October 4, 2020, when they beat the Bears 19-11 at Soldier Field. This is a rematch of Super Bowl XLI.
Here are the NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Bears-Colts Odds
Chicago Bears: +1.5 (-115)
Moneyline: +102
Indianapolis Colts: -1.5 (-105)
Moneyline: -120
Over: 43.5 (-108)
Under: 43.5 (-112)
How to Watch Bears vs. Colts
Time: 1 PM ET/10 AM PT
TV: CBS
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why The Bears Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Bears need to get their offense going. Unfortunately, Chicago's situation has not improved at all, and they need their offense to do more. There are a lot of Bears players to blame for their struggles. Regardless, they must figure it out quickly.
Williams has passed for 267 yards while rushing 10 times for 59 yards. However, he has yet to throw a touchdown. Swift has struggled with his new squad. So far, he has rushed 24 times for 48 yards and caught four passes for 24 yards. Moore has been solid, with 11 receptions for 89 yards.
Meanwhile, Odunze has three catches for 44 yards. Keenan Allen is already hurt. Ultimately, he had four receptions for 29 yards, and it would be a big boost if he could play this Sunday.
The defense has been amazing. Darrell Taylor has tallied eight solo tackles and two sacks. Likewise, Gervon Dexter Sr. has added three solo tackles and two interceptions. Jaylon Johnson has been a force in the secondary, with three solo tackles and one interception. Tyrique Stevenson has also tallied six solo tackles and one interception.
The Bears will cover the spread if they can finally establish the running game and make things easier for Williams. Then, the defense must stop Richardson and make life difficult for him.
Why The Colts Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Colts are 0-2 and struggling to move the ball on offense. Many people thought Richardson would flourish. However, they forget that he did not play much of last season and would experience some growing pains.
Richardson has passed for 416 yards, with three touchdowns and four interceptions, while also rushing 10 times for 93 yards and a score. But the Colts need him to do more and establish chemistry with Pittman. Taylor has rushed 28 times for 151 yards and a touchdown. Now, he hopes to do more to relieve some pressure off Richardson. Pittman only has seven receptions for 52 yards. Conversely, Pierce has eight catches for 181 yards.
The defense was supposed to destroy the Packers last weekend. Instead, they allowed Josh Jacobs to run all over them. DeForest Bucker is hurt and will not play over the next four games. Therefore, someone must step up. Kwity Paye might be that guy. So far, he has six solo tackles and one sack. E.J. Speed has 16 solo tackles. Yet, no one has snagged an interception yet.
The Colts will cover the spread if they can run the ball efficiently, with Richardson leading the charge and giving the Colts easier chances on third down. Then, they need to stop the Bears from running.
Final Bears-Colts Prediction & Pick
The Bears are 1-0-1 against the spread while the Colts are 1-1. Overall, these teams are very similar. But the Bears are on the road for the second consecutive week. While they are more than capable of stealing this game on the road, other factors must be considered. In their effort to avoid an o-3 start, they might play with a lot more vigor. The Colts are not the greatest team in the league. Yet, they have more than enough to steal this one.
Final Bears-Colts Prediction & Pick: Indianapolis Colts -1.5 (-105)
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