Free hot dogs for the city and best record in the conference be damned, the Chicago Bears still have a surplus of skeptics.
The Bears picked up their signature last week on the road, one that would surely make believers out of the rest of the NFL. Or not.
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While the Bears dominated the Philadelphia Eagles on Black Friday to improve to an NFC-best 9-3, the majority of predictions favor the Green Bay Packers in Sunday’s NFC North showdown at Lambeau Field. So do the odds.
Bet against Ben Johnson’s surprising team at your own peril. Chicago is an impressive 8-4 this season against the spread, second only to the 9-3 Seattle Seahawks. The Bears are also 5-2 on the road ATS. Only the San Francisco 49ers (6) have more “covers” away from home.
In the wake of Chicago’s upset – which came one day after the Packers beat the Lions in Detroit on Thanksgiving – the line intially was posted Green Bay -3.5. Since then, however, belief in the Bears has wilted. Are the Bears too inexperienced and not ready for a huge game on the road? And how much will the absence of star receiver Rome Odunze effect the offense?
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That combination of doubt and uncertainty has pushed the line to almost a touchdown. For a 9-3 team that has won nine of 10 and just dominated the defending Super Bowl champs, it’s an eye-popping number.
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Caleb Williams | Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images