The NFL’s longest rivalry adds a new chapter this weekend.
There’s absolutely no love lost between the Chicago Bears (9-3) and Green Bay Packers (8-3-1), and now the two playoff hopefuls tango Sunday at Lambeau Field with the NFC’s No. 1 seed in their sights.
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Westgate SuperBook oddsmaker Ed Salmons opened Green Bay -6 with a total of O/U 45.5 and the line has floated to 6.5 across Las Vegas. Prominent offshore shop Pinnacle is the highest in market at Packers -7.
It’s a sizable point spread despite how profitable the first-place Bears have been all year. Ben Johnson’s bunch (8-4 ATS) is covering at a 67% clip.
“They don’t make bad mistakes,” The Athletic senior writer Kevin Fishbain told me. “That was Ben’s postgame line after the Eagles game. He said whoever makes the fewest mistakes is going to win and that’s what happened.
“These other teams just keep turning the ball over and the Bears aren’t. They’re not making those critical, back-breaking errors.”
Having known Fish a long time, I know he’s seen some horrendous football over the years on the Bears beat. Yet here they are with a better record than the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens, to name a few.
Just like we all predicted back in August.
“The Bears have been so bad for so long,” Fishbain said. “Considering there are still some questions about the quarterback and the defense, it’s remarkable [they’re 9-3]. It says a lot about the head coach.
“It’s a very good coaching staff and I think you’re seeing what happens when the players start stacking wins and buying into everything.”
As for the Packers, their goals have been obvious since acquiring superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons from Dallas. They were one of the shortest Super Bowl contenders in early September and that song remains the same.
Green Bay is as low as +850 to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
You can find a 35-1 on Chicago.
Longtime Vegas oddsmaker Kenny White ranks the Packers as the sixth-best team in the league, with the Bears decidedly lower at No. 19.
But as always, the point spread is the great equalizer.
Let’s not forget rookie quarterback Caleb Williams led the Bears to two covers and an outright victory last season with a terrible offensive line and brutal schematics.
This year’s team believes it can win.
“Give me the Packers by a field goal,” Fishbain snapped.
Yeah?
“The Bears have earned the right to expect them to keep it close,” he continued. “I think they cover. Jordan Love has been playing really well, and it’s always tough to win at Lambeau. And Micah Parsons can wreck any game. This is the best all-around team the Bears have played this season.
“If you’re going on vibes, there’s no team in football that’s got better vibes right now than the Chicago Bears.”
Sam Panayotovich is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and the BetMGM Network. He previously worked for WGN Radio, NBC Sports and VSiN. Watch him on FOX Sports’ Bear Bets and follow him on X @spshoot.
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