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The Chicago Bears started the season as if they were one of the worst teams in the NFL. They have improved dramatically as they prepare for their Week 17 game against the Atlanta Falcons.
The Bears lost their first 4 games and head coach Matt Eberflus saw a team that was out of sync on both sides of the line of scrimmage. They were taken apart by the Packers and Chiefs, and they could not stay in touch with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The worst of the losses came in Week 4, when they dropped a 31-28 decision to the Denver Broncos.
What made that loss so bad was that the Bears had a 28-7 lead late in the 3rd quarter. It appeared the Bears would not only get a victory, but that they would do it by a wide margin.
Instead, they coughed it up with some of the worst football played all season. The Broncos scored 24 straight points at Soldier Field and delivered a painful loss to Justin Fields & Co.
However, that game served as something of a wakeup call for head coach Matt Eberflus and his players. Since that time, the Bears have recorded a 6-5 record.
While they are still in last place in the NFC North, they have played respectable football. If they had been able to hold on to double-digit, fourth-quarter leads in the second half of the season against the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns, the Bears would be in a legitimate battle for a spot in the playoffs.
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As they prepare to play the Falcons, football bettors will notice that the Bears are 2.5-point favorites over the visitors from the NFC South. Football fans from 39 states will have the opportunity to bet on NFL games in 2024, according to VT betting.
Justin Fields will throw for 200-plus yards and run for 75 yards against the Falcons
Bears quarterback Justin Fields is nearing the end of his third season with the Bears. While there are many questions about his future with the team, there is little doubt that he is capable of highlight-film type plays.
He has a strong arm and can make the difficult throw into a tight window. Additionally, he is one of the best running quarterbacks in the league. He combines speed, power and elusiveness, and he is capable of tormenting any defense.
His issues at the quarterback position are accuracy, consistency and timing. Fields struggles to put great throws together, and he will often follow a nearly perfect toss with one that is directly at an opposing defensive back. He may also hold the ball a second too long, and that leads to a sack, a big hit on a receiver or a turnover.
However, Eberflus has seen his quarterback show improvement in recent weeks. That's why the Bears have played credibly since their brutal start to the season.
Fields has completed 196 of 322 passes for 2,146 yards with 15 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. The quarterback is also the Bears' leading rushed with 585 yards on 105 carries for an average of 5.6 yards per carry. He has run the ball into the end zone 3 times.
The Falcons should present a challenge for Field, as they rank 6th in points allowed per game with an average of 19.2 per game. However, Fields recent improvement should give the Chicago offense an opportunity to put quite a bit of pressure on the Falcons.
Wideout D.J. Moore will have 80-plus yards receiving and at least 1 TD for the Bears
One of the big issues for the Bears has been a lack of big-play weapons. Their best wideout is D.J. Moore, and he has shown that if a pass is within his catch radius, Moore is going to come down with it.
He is certainly Fields' favorite receiver. Moore has been at his best when the Bears are also getting contributions from tight end Cole Kmet. That may not be the case against the Falcons because Kmet is battling a knee injury and he is questionable going into the Week 17 game.
Even if Kmet cannot play and the Falcons come after Moore with a double-team, he is still likely to make plays. Moore has caught 83 passes for 1,141 yards and 7 touchdowns, and he has had 19 receptions of 20 or more yards. Additionally, 53 of his receptions have resulted in Bears first downs.
As long as Moore makes one or two key catches early in the game, the Falcons are likely to be on their heels and could be vulnerable to big plays throughout the game.
