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Edgar Chaput
Bears vs. Saints Point Spread: NFL Week 9 Odds, Prediction
Chicago was awarded a Sunday Night Football spotlight in Week 8, although it begs the question why (other than they are represent a large market). The Chargers electrocuted them with ease, winning 30-13. New Orleans spent its week 8 in Indianapolis and played a wild game against the Colts. The offence broke out of its funk, helping the team win 38-27.
The Saints sit as comfortable -7.5 favourites, as per the NFL odds.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
It has been a long, long time since the Chicago Bears have defeated the New Orleans Saints. The most recent victory by the Illinois-based franchise in this head-to-head was in December 2008. Of note, the Bears had been riding a winning streak of their own versus the Saints, but since then the Louisiana outfit has claimed seven in a row, including a January 2021 playoff game.
Only one contest saw Chicago cover its spread during that span.
Where to begin with the Bears? They’re 2-6 in the NFC North and 2-5-1 ATS. Their two successful covers came in games they won, which one supposes is to be expected. Twice this season Chicago has been a 10+ point underdog yet not covered. The over has connected six times, and sadly it’s not because they have a great offence.
Frankly, New Orleans isn’t any better than this week’s opponent regarding the spread. They too are only 2-5-1 on the season. It’s been a rough start to the Derek Carr era, with the under cashing in six out of eight games thus far, although the over earned the spoils in the two most recent outings.
Chicago Bears
There seems to be a Bears Sunday Night Football game every season, sometimes more than one, and it’s bewildering. In Week 8 the lights shined brightest in L.A. where the Chargers trounced them 30-13.
Chicago risks having its hands full with Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave,, Michael Thomas, and Rashid Shaheed, because the Chargers receivers and backs had plenty of space to manoeuvre on Sunday evening. L.A. marches down the field virtually unimpeded all night long. Young QB Tyson Bagent is doing his best. His 25-for-37, 232 yards don’t look too shabby until one notices the two bad picks he tossed. It also took four different running backs to muster 73 total yards on the ground. WR DJ Moore had those two great games against the Broncos and Commanders but has been quiet most of the season. The team’s three best offensive outings were against bottom-half clubs and Chicago’s own defence is 22nd in yards allowed and 28th in points conceded.
CB Terrell Smith is questionable. QB Justin Fields is still questionable.
New Orleans Saints
This is a very difficult Saints team to predict. Some weeks they look rather good on offence but not on defence. Then they look good on defence but moribund on the attack. Other times the switch happens within games…In any case, the Saints have climbed their way to a 4-4 record via the 38-27 win over the Colts in Week 8.
Long-time Raiders supporters can tell Saints fans that they’re simply getting the Derek Carr experience. Lots of nice passes per game and decent yardage, but rarely enough points. That changed on Sunday when the Saints scored the most they had in a game all season. Carr himself was very good, going 19-for-27, 310 yards and two scores. His chemistry with WR Rashid Shaheed could use more consistency, but when it’s on, boy is it special (153 yards on just three receptions). It was one of those games where Taysom Hill was used as a gadget for solid dividends as he rushed nine times for 63 yards and scored two TDs. Kudos to the team for sticking with it after trailing 17-7 early. The lone worry might be that the defence everyone was talking about has given up 27 and 31 points in the last two weeks.
OT James Hurst is questionable.
CHI
NO