The Chicago Bears had a disastrous start to their season. The boogeyman, Aaron Rodgers, was out of the division and new era was supposed to begin in Chicago.
Then, they went ahead and lost by a score of 38-20 to the Green Bay Packers once again, this time led by Jordan Love.
But, I have good news for Bears fans. I think they're in a great bounce back spot against the Buccaneers in Week 2.
I'm going to break down why I like Chicago to cover the spread, and maybe even win the game, but if you want the rest of my bets for Week 2 of the NFL, you'll find them in the latest edition of the "Road to 272 Bets."
If you're going to place some bets this week, I'd recommend doing it at Caesars Sportsbook. For a limited time, you'll be given $250 in bonus bet guaranteed when you place your first $50 bet. Just click the link below to take advantage of this offer!
Now, let's dive into the betting preview for this Week 2 showdown.
Bears vs. Buccaneers odds, spread, and total
Bears vs. Buccaneers betting trends
- Bears are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games
- The OVER is 9-3 in the Bears' last 12 games
- Bears are 1-8 straight up in their last nine road games
- Bears are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 games against NFC opponents
- Buccaneers are 2-7 ATS in their last nine games
- Buccaneers are 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 games at home
Bears vs. Buccaneers injury reports
Chicago Bears injury report
- Kyler Gordon - CB - Questionable
Tampa Bay Buccaneers injury report
- Lavonte David - LB - Questionable (concussion)
- Calijah Kancey - DT - Questionable (calf)
Bears vs. Buccaneers how to watch
- Date: Sunday, Sept. 17
- Game Time: 1:00p.m. EST
- Venue: Raymond James Stadium
- How to Watch (TV): FOX
- Chicago Bears Record: 0-1
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers Record: 1-0
Bears vs. Buccaneers key players to watch
Chicago Bears
Justin Fields: This was supposed to be the year that Justin Fields took a step forward and he was one of the most bet on players to win NFL MVP this season. We're only one week into the season, but he didn't live up to that hype against the Packers. He completed just 64.9% of passes for 216 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The Bears desperately need him to take a significant step forward in his development.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mike Evans: After an offseason contract dispute, Mike Evans showed up to work and already reminded everyone he's one of the best receivers in the NFL. He hauled in six receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings in Week 1. As long as he's healthy, the Buccaneers offense has a chance to be dangerous.
Bears vs. Buccaneers prediction and pick
Yes, the Buccaneers won in Week 1 against the Vikings, but they were severely outplayed. They gained just 3.6 yards per play on offense and gave up 5.9 yards per play on offense for a net yards per play of -2.3.
The Bears also had a negative net yards per play of -1.1 against the Packers, but that's still not nearly as bad as the Buccaneers performance.
I'm a strong believer of looking past the final score of games when evaluating teams in the NFL. In fact, I think wins are one of the worst stats to look at when evaluating how good a team is and the Bucs in Week 1 are a perfect example of that.
I think Justin Fields and company can keep this game and may even be able to pull off the upset.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
You can check out all of Iain's bets here!