In one of the best Thursday Night Football games we’ll get all year, the Chicago Bears host the New England Patriots at Soldier Field in Week 7. Keep reading for betting odds, picks, and player props for this exciting showdown. Also, make sure you head over to our Week 7 NFL Betting Hub for a look at all of our NFL betting content.
MORE: Head to the Pro Picks page for best bets from all of our VSiN hosts and analysts!
How To Watch Patriots vs. Bears
When: Thursday, October 22 at 8:20 pm ET
Where: Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois
Channel: Prime Video
Patriots vs. Bears Odds
Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook accurate as of Tuesday, October 20. Look around for the best prices!
Moneyline: Bears -148, Patriots +124
Spread: Bears -3 (-102), Patriots +3 (-118)
Total: Over 50.5 (-115), Under 50.5 (-105)
Patriots vs. Bears Analysis
This is a meeting between two 4-2 squads with momentum. After a slow start to the year, New England has won three consecutive games. One of those happened to be a 29-26 win in Buffalo. Meanwhile, Caleb Williams returned for Chicago last week, leading the team to a 31-23 road win over a good Atlanta team. Now, we’re set up for an awesome showdown at Soldier Field.
In looking at our Circa Sports betting splits, the Bears look to be the popular side. However, while this spread opened at Chicago -3, it hasn’t budged. That usually mean sharp bettors are taking the other side, preventing the line from moving. That’s something I like to see, as I happen to like the road team here.
One of the main pro-Chicago points in this game will focus on the fact that New England’s offensive line has been extremely shaky. That’s a little scary against a Bears team which ranks sixth in the NFL in Pass Rush Win Rate (57%). However, Drake Maye will know what to expect, and one of the reasons he has been so good lately is that he’s getting better at processing quicker. He should be trusted to deliver in a timely fashion. Well, if Maye can do that, there’s a real path for New England to steal a road win.
The reality is that there’s a big gap between these teams on defense. I know we have seen the bad from the Patriots, including a blowout loss to the Jaguars. We have also seen the good from the Bears, who played three great defensive games in a row after a poor one to start the year against the Panthers. However, just judging these teams based on the talent, New England has a more reliable stop unit. The Pats are also giving up only 5.2 yards per play, while the Bears are giving up 6.0 per play.
I don’t know for sure that New England will be able to consistently get off the field in this game, but I don’t necessarily think either group will. This is a game in which I see the offenses moving up and down the field, but I like the Patriots to come up with an extra stop when it matters most. Part of that comes down to Christian Gonzalez’s ability to lock down one half of the field.
It’s also hard not to like Mike Vrabel’s history in these situations. Under Vrabel, the Patriots are 5-2 straight-up and 5-1-1 against the spread as road underdogs.
Patriots vs. Bears Player Props
Drake Maye Over 1.5 Passing Touchdowns (-115)
Maye is riding an insanely hot hand right now. The 24-year-old started the season extremely slow, but he has thrown for at least three touchdowns in three consecutive games. Now, all we need from Maye is a two-touchdown performance, and we’re looking for it against a Chicago team which is entirely unreliable in the back of the defense. If you like New England to win in a shootout, this feels like a no-brainer as a prop play. And even if this ends up being a game in which the Bears do get the better of the Patriots, that doesn’t hurt this prop much. If anything, Maye would have a better shot at throwing for two scores if he’s playing from behind.
Patriots vs. Bears Pick
I wouldn’t be too shocked if this game ends in a push, but I’ll take the field goal with New England. I believe the Patriots are a better team, and I strongly feel their edge on defense will make a major difference in this one. That said, I’m taking the points, sprinkling the moneyline, and playing Maye to throw for at least two scores.
Bet: Patriots +3 (-105 – 1.5 units) & Patriots ML (+138 – 0.5 units) & Maye Over 1.5 Passing TDs (-115)
