Packers vs. Bears Spread Prediction
The Packers will be an underdog in Matt LaFleur’s debut as head coach when they visit the Bears at 8:20 p.m. ET in the NFL season opener. Will the Pack pull off the small upset on opening night or is the best bet with the host Bears?
Game Snapshot
451 Green Bay Packers (+3) at 452 Chicago Bears (-3); 46.5
8:20 p.m. ET, Thursday, September 5, 2019, Solider Field, Chicago, IL
Public Betting Trends
According to our NFL Football Public Betting Chart page, the Packers are receiving 55% of the betting tickets from online sportsbooks.
Green Bay Packers Fantasy Spin
Packers placed WR Equanimeous St. Brown (ankle) on injured reserve, ending his season. St. Brown was injured in the Packers’ third preseason game, suffering a high-ankle sprain. It was a wicked one that likely would’ve shelved St. Brown for the next two months or so. It was enough for the Packers to just end St. Brown’s season. The Packers kept Trevor Davis, Jake Kumerow, and Darrius Shepherd behind Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Geronimo Allison.
Chicago Bears Fantasy Spin
Bears coach Matt Nagy confirmed Eddy Pineiro has won the starting kicker job. Their was some thought the Bears might have interest in Vikings castoff Kaare Vedvik, but instead the Jets snatched him off waivers, cementing Pineiro as the Week 1 starter. “He deserves it,” said Nagy of Pineiro, who converted eight of his nine field goal attempts during the preseason. “He earned every right to be our kicker.” Pineiro should at least be an improvement on Cody Parkey, who sunk the Bears’ playoff hopes with a critical miss in last year’s Wild Card loss to Philadelphia.
NFL Betting Trends
Green Bay
The Packers are 0-4 against the spread in their last four divisional games.
Chicago
The Bears are a perfect 7-0 against the number in their last seven divisional games.
Prediction
The Bears had the No. 1 defense in the NFL a year ago but lost their architect when Vic Fangio was hired as the head coach in Denver. While the talent is still there, the Bears will go through an adjustment period under new DC Chuck Pagano. The same can be said for the Packers, who fired Mike McCarthy and replaced him with Matt LaFleur. That said, if LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers are already on the same page with what they want out of the offense, then there’s no reason to think Green Bay can’t click in Game 1. I love the value of getting the Packers as an underdog, especially in this matchup. The Packers are 16-5 against the spread in their last 21 games played against the Bears in Chicago. They’ve also covered the number in 12 of their last 17 games overall versus the Bears.
NFL Week 1 Prediction: Green Bay Packers +3