The training wheels are now off for Mitchell Trubisky, who will find himself in a duel with a future Hall of Famer in Aaron Rodgers, as the Chicago Bears pay the Green Bay Packers a visit this coming Sunday. But the real matchup that is going to grab everyone’s attention is Bears defensive end Khalil Mack vs. Rodgers.
The Bears are +550 to top the AFC North, while the Packers still own the shortest odds to do that with +145.
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Betting Preview for the Chicago Bears vs Green Bay Packers NFL Season Week 1 Game on September 9, 2018
Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay
When: Sunday, September 9, 2018, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Chicago Bears (+7.5) vs Green Bay Packers (-7.5) – view all 2018 NFL lines
TV Broadcast: FOX
Betting on the Chicago Bears (+7.5)
The Bears will enter Week 1 still riding the momentum of being named as among the big winners of the offseason after winning the Khalil Mack bidding war. The Bears added to their vaunted defense by pulling the trigger and trading for Mack, a pass rushing beast, who had 10.5 sacks and 61 tackles for the Oakland Raiders in 2017. The Bears already had a scary stop unit on paper even before Mack’s arrival, but with the defensive end now in tow, Chicago is expecting that it will improve on the following number they recorded last season: eighth in scoring defense (20.0 points allowed per game) and seventh in total defense (319.1 total defense surrendered per contest). The Bears have a perfect schedule to test their improved defense, as they take on Aaron Rodgers. Mack will surely make it more uncomfortable for Rodgers to throw in the pocket this time around.
On offense, the Bears are soon going to find out whether they were right to invest a high draft pick last year on quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Trubisky had 2,193 passing yards and seven touchdowns against seven interceptions. He’ll get help from running backs Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen plus the new faces in wide receiver Allen Robinson and tight end Trey Burton.
The Bears are 4-2 ATS in their last six road games.
Betting on the Green Bay Packers (-7.5)
The last time Aaron Rodgers shared the field with the Bears, he made sure to show just how big of gap there was between him and Chicago’s quarterbacks. In a Week 4 meeting with Chicago in 2017, Rodgers threw for 179 yards with four touchdowns with zero picks on 18-for-26 completions in a one-sided 35-14 victory at home. Back then, however, Rodgers still have Jordy Nelson, who caught two of his touchdown deliveries. Nelson is in Oakland now, but Rodgers can pretty much do damage with any targets.
Assuming the No. 1 wideout role for the Packers is Davante Adams who had the most touchdown receptions among wide receivers the past two years. Last season, he had 885 receiving yards and 10 touchdown catches. Rodgers will also have veteran tight end Jimmy Graham, who can extend his career playing alongside an elite QB. Running back Jamaal Williams will serve as the primary backfield option for Green Bay against the Bears, as Aaron Jones starts the season serving a two-game suspension.
Green Bay is 3-1 ATS in its last four home games against the Bears.
Writer’s Prediction
Green Bay wins, 24-20.
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