The 5-7 Chicago Bears need to find some offense if they’re going to snap their six-game losing streak. Fortunately, they host a team this week that has a hard time playing defense. For a team that’s averaging 20.5 points a game, the Houston Texans are a welcome sight and could be the favorite of bettors looking for NFL picks.
Houston is coming off a tough 26-20 loss to Indianapolis in which a pair of turnovers hurt its chances. At 4-8, the Texans are likely out of playoff consideration but have won three of their last five games. The Bears let numerous nine-point leads get away from them in a 34-30 loss to the Detroit Lions.
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Just like Houston, the Bears’ skid has put them outside of playoff contention in the NFC. Chicago currently sits in a tie for ninth, with the top seven teams making the postseason. The Bears are a game behind Arizona and Minnesota, who are currently tied for the final spot.
Betting Lines
The Texans are slight 1.5-point road favorites over the Bears, probably due to Chicago’s collapse against the Lions. That line could change if money comes in on Chicago. Both teams are under .500 against the spread, with the Texans at 4-8 and the Bears at 5-7.
The over/under is at a relatively low 45.5. It’s a bit higher than the 44.5 points the teams average on offense.
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The Texans are averaging just 24 points a game, 18th in the league. Houston is 6-6 and Chicago is 5-7 against the over/under.
On the moneyline, Houston is at -125 and Chicago is at +115. Depending on the sportsbook, those odds could vary given the narrow spread on the game.
We went 1-1 on our last pick, check out our Bears at Titans betting preview.
Game Preview
It’s hard to find many silver linings for a team that has lost six consecutive games. While they lost to the Lions, the Bears found some offense last week. Their 389-yard output was 77 yards higher than their season average of 312.
The downside was that Chicago’s defense was shredded for 400 yards through the air by Detroit. The Texans have the league’s second-ranked pass offense, so Chicago will need to quickly find some defensive answers.
Neither team runs the ball very well, ranking 31st and 32nd in the league in rushing yards per game. The Texans also don’t defend on the ground, giving up over 150 yards a game, good for 31st.
The Bears have played 10 one-possession games, so they’ve been successful in keeping their opponents close. Only the Packers and Rams have been able to beat the Bears by more than a score. Even in those games, the Bears lost by 16 and 14, respectively.
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Can the Bears Break the Skid?
In their last five games, no one has scored more than 26 points on the Texans. The Bears have struggled to score all season.
One outburst against a weak defensive team doesn’t change who they are. They’ve given up 75 points in the last two games.
The Texans should be able to exploit the Bears mediocre pass defense and pull out a win. With the loss, Chicago’s playoff hopes and the future of its coaching staff will take a hit.
Take the Texans and the over. Houston 27, Chicago 24.
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