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The San Francisco 49ers will start their season against the Chicago Bears as the two NFC teams face off at Soldier Field on Sunday afternoon. It is time to discuss the showdown by looking at our NFL odds series and creating a 49ers-Bears prediction and pick.
The 49ers went 10-7 last season, advancing to the NFC Championship before falling to the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams. Now, they resume their “quest for six” and hope to get back to the Super Bowl. The Bears went 6-11 and finished third in the NFC North. Today, they have a new head coach and hope to carry a young team to the playoffs.
Trey Lance is the new quarterback for San Francisco as the 2021 first-round pick finally takes the reigns after sitting out most of last season. Also, San Francisco brings back a stacked defense ready to terrorize offenses. Deebo Samuel inked a new contract after a lengthy holdout, and Brandon Aiyuk returns to line up on the other side. Meanwhile, San Francisco brings back Elijah Mitchell, who will look to become a 1,000-yard rusher this season.
Justin Fields is ready to start. Subsequently, he will start under new coach Matt Eberflus, who the Bears brought in after firing Matt Nagy. The defense is in transition and will attempt to recapture their strong play of the past. Last year, the 49ers defeated the Bears 33-22 behind a strong second-half performance. San Francisco will attempt to do it again.
Here are the 49ers-Bears NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: 49ers-Bears Odds
San Francisco 49ers: -6.5 (-118)
Chicago Bears: +6.5 (-104)
Over: 40.5 (-110)
Under: 40.5 (-110)
Why The 49ersCould Cover The Spread
San Francisco is a Super Bowl contender because they have stacked their roster with pieces everywhere. Now, the world gets to see if Lance can carry them. Lance has a few things he must do. First, he must keep the ball safe and move the chances. He also must make the Bears pay for any mistakes on their part.
The 49ers won last year due to two spectacular performances. Mitchell went off for 137 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Additionally, Samuel caught six passes for 171 yards. These two are the heart of the San Francisco offense and may be a threat again. Also, Aiyuk has the capability of turning the game on its head. He caught only four passes for 45 yards in the win over Chicago last season but has formed preseason chemistry with Lance. Will that chemistry amount to great performances?
Kyle Shanahan and his defensive units have always had one major weakness: defenses that struggle against mobile quarterbacks. The defense did an okay job of defending Fields last year. The unit sacked him four times and forced him to throw erratically. However, the defense also allowed him to rush for 103 yards and a touchdown.
The defense must watch Fields like a hawk to prevent him from going off. The 49ers will cover the spread if Lance takes care of the ball and Mitchell runs the ball efficiently. Likewise, Samuel and Aiyuk must produce and extend the chains.
Why The Bears Could Cover The Spread
Chicago is fielding a young team. Thus, it might make things difficult for Fields, who lost Allen Robinson to the Rams. Fields must be more consistent on offense and will his team to victory. However, an essential thing the offense must do is avoid turnovers. Chicago controlled the clock well in the loss to San Francisco last season, possessing the ball for just under 37 minutes. Ultimately, it did not matter, as they still lost the game.
The defense did not stop San Francisco at all last season. Moreover, they could not get to the quarterback, registering no sacks. The Bears must not allow Lance to get comfortable or run all over them. Additionally, they have to cover Samuel and Aiyuk well. There is a chance the Bears might not have to deal with George Kittle, who is recovering from a groin injury and might not play in the opener. San Francisco has listed him as questionable, and Chicago might have one less weapon to deal with.
The Bears will cover the spread if Fields plays smart, had they moved the chains well. Additionally, Chicago must find ways to stop the potent San Francisco offense.
Final 49ers-Bears Prediction & Pick
The 49ers are a contender, and the Bears are rebuilding. Even without Kittle, the 49ers can still find a way to win this game and cover the odds. Look for the 49ers to correct some of the issues from last season, and ground-and-pound their way to victory.
Final 49ers-Bears Prediction & Pick: San Francisco 49ers: -6.5 (-118)
