The Chicago Bears will be looking for some redemption this season after missing out on the playoffs for the second time in a row. In fact, the Bears haven’t made it past the Wild Card Round since 2010, when they lost the NFC Championship to the Packers. Since then, they’ve played two Wild Card games and lost them both as they’ve struggled in the NFC North division.
Nobody’s really expecting a Super Bowl win from Matt Eberflus’ side as he enters his second year in charge of the Bears, but fans will be expecting at least an improvement on their 3-14 finish from last season.
Bears Super Bowl odds: +5000
Chicago will need to add more pieces to their offense if they want to be in the conversation as a Super Bowl contender. Justin Fields is a solid force at quarterback, but he hasn’t had a ton of help by way of available receivers in the past.
The signing of DJ Moore from the Panthers will add an immediate quality option for Fields to throw to as Moore has been consistently one of the best receivers in the league. Often hampered by a subpar quarterback, Moore’s new pairing with Fields should be a fun one to watch going forward as Chicago looks to bolster the offense.
If Justin Fields can cut down on his propensity for turnovers, Eberflus’ squad could see a massive improvement in the quality of play on the field this season.
Bears NFC North division title odds: +400
The NFC North has two clear favorites to finish at the top of the division, with the Detroit Lions at +140 and the Minnesota Vikings priced at +275. The Bears are neck-and-neck with the Packers at DraftKings Sportsbook, with both teams priced at +400 to emerge as division winners. The Bears finished in fourth last season, petering out with a 10-game losing streak to end the campaign. It was a step down from 2021, when they finished in third place in the division with a 6-11 record.
Bears win total odds: Over 7.5 (-130); Under 7.5 (+110)
If the Bears hit over this total, it would be a massive upgrade from last season after logging only three wins. With the addition of some offensive pieces like the aforementioned DJ Moore, Chicago could easily see a better performance especially in the air this season. They also added running back D’Onta Foreman, who’s expected to play backup to Khalil Herbert and will provide some quality in the backfield rotation.
As for the season ahead, the Bears have the sixth-easiest schedule after holding the fifth-hardest last year, so immediately out of the gate they should be able to see an improvement. The offensive line got some upgrades this season with first-round pick Darnell Wright and free agent Nate Davis, adding some extra protection for Fields to find his man. I’m backing the over for Chicago this time around.