For Wednesday:
NEW ENGLAND -5 Chicago 35
Bears have looked pretty mediocre, at best, this preseason, while the Pats have been very strong, going 3-0. No question the Pats are the better team here but I find it hard to believe they will play their starters very long tonight, especially with recent injuries within their own division. Last year in the last game, Brady played four series and tossed 10 passes. I doubt he'll get that much work tonight. Belichick has been pretty quiet so it's hard to say.
For the Bears, their starters will play the first quarter with Anthony Thomas and Adrian Peterson playing the full first half. The Bears want to see their running game in the first half to allow them to make better decisions at the running back position. In the second half, when Rex Grossman will play, they want to throw the ball to allow them to make some decisions at the receiver spot.
Assuming they can move the ball some in the first half (that might be a big assumption based on their running game during the first three games this year), the Bears could keep the Pats off the field and keep the score lower than expected. Even if they can't move the ball in the first half, it looks like they will open the game up in the second half with some passing that will allow them to get back in the game if they are down, assuming they don't turn the ball over, like last week.
The Bears need to show improvement much more than the Pats and they set up in my best preseason situation, which is 56-12-2 since 1983, including 2-0 this year. This is the last play for this situation this year and that means it will record it's 21st year in a row of zero sub .500 seasons, with only two of those 21 seasons at .500, going 2-2 both years. The situation is too strong to simply pass. And even if the Bears are down, they stand a chance for the back door cover, unless they are getting blown out. I doubt they get blown out because they will be running the ball in the first half.
YTD 5-2 +2.90%
1% CHICAGO +5
NEW ENGLAND -5 Chicago 35
Bears have looked pretty mediocre, at best, this preseason, while the Pats have been very strong, going 3-0. No question the Pats are the better team here but I find it hard to believe they will play their starters very long tonight, especially with recent injuries within their own division. Last year in the last game, Brady played four series and tossed 10 passes. I doubt he'll get that much work tonight. Belichick has been pretty quiet so it's hard to say.
For the Bears, their starters will play the first quarter with Anthony Thomas and Adrian Peterson playing the full first half. The Bears want to see their running game in the first half to allow them to make better decisions at the running back position. In the second half, when Rex Grossman will play, they want to throw the ball to allow them to make some decisions at the receiver spot.
Assuming they can move the ball some in the first half (that might be a big assumption based on their running game during the first three games this year), the Bears could keep the Pats off the field and keep the score lower than expected. Even if they can't move the ball in the first half, it looks like they will open the game up in the second half with some passing that will allow them to get back in the game if they are down, assuming they don't turn the ball over, like last week.
The Bears need to show improvement much more than the Pats and they set up in my best preseason situation, which is 56-12-2 since 1983, including 2-0 this year. This is the last play for this situation this year and that means it will record it's 21st year in a row of zero sub .500 seasons, with only two of those 21 seasons at .500, going 2-2 both years. The situation is too strong to simply pass. And even if the Bears are down, they stand a chance for the back door cover, unless they are getting blown out. I doubt they get blown out because they will be running the ball in the first half.
YTD 5-2 +2.90%
1% CHICAGO +5
