The Detroit Lions find themselves in a good spot heading into the final quarter of the regular season, but a flop against the Chicago Bears in their Week 14 matchup could make things interesting. Detroit has a two-game lead in the NFC North and is looking to secure its first division title since 1993. However, with some difficult contests ahead, the Lions better not overlook the Bears, a team that knocked them off back in Week 4.
Kickoff for this regular season Week 14 game is set for Sunday, December 11, 2016, at 1 p.m. ET at Ford Field.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Chicago Bears +9
Detroit Lions -9
Over/Under 44
Odds Analysis
The Lions are getting some respect from oddsmakers now. Detroit opened as a 9.5-point home favorite over the Bears before seeing the line quickly wagered down to -9. Still, the current spread is the highest since the Lions played in Chicago two years ago, a game Detroit won but failed to cover. The Lions are a good team, but the line seems a bit skewed, even against a team that has just three wins on the year. Look for that number to come down before these teams kick it off on Sunday.
Injury Report
Jay Cutler – The Bears made it official when they placed Cutler on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. He’ll miss the remainder of the season leaving the quarterback duties in the hands of Matt Barkley and David Fales. Barkley’s only career starts have been in Chicago’s past two games while Fales has yet to throw a pass in an NFL game.
Marvin Jones Jr. – Is still recovering from a leg injury that forced him out of the Saints game. Jones’ production has dropped since the first part of the season but his presence has drawn plenty of attention from opposing defenses, opening the field for the rest of the Lions pass-catching group. His absence takes away the deep threat for Matthew Stafford.
Matchup to Watch
It was the game that kick started the Lions season and it took a poor performance to do it. When these teams met back in Week 4, the Bears dished out a 17-14 defeat to drop Detroit to 1-3 on the year. It was probably the Lions’ worst game of the season and had many wondering what the rest of the season held in store for them. Detroit certainly bounced back strong and has won seven of eight following that defeat to take control in the NFC North. Things looked bleak for the Lions, however, after they failed to score an offensive touchdown and managed just 263 total yards.
Now, Detroit has a chance for payback and to maintain its lead in the division. The Lions have just a two-game bulge, and with games at the Giants, Dallas, and home to Green Bay to close out the year, this game has some significance to it. It’s also a chance for Stafford to erase the memories of that awful afternoon. Two of Stafford’s five interceptions on the year came in that first meeting. He has corrected that issue and has thrown just one pick in the past eight games covering 277 pass attempts.
Free ATS Pick
With Cutler done for the year, the Bears are turning to Barkley to see if he is possibly the quarterback of the future. He led a dramatic comeback two weeks ago and should have had the victory if not for several drops that doomed the team. Dealing with the elements, Barkley led the Bears to their highest point total of the year in a dominating win over the 49ers on Sunday. It was difficult to throw the ball through snow flurries yet Barkley led three consecutive touchdown drives to deliver the victory. Chicago has to see what the kid can do so expect to see the passing game open up in a controlled environment.
Detroit keeps winning and has a comfortable lead in the division, but this could be a tough one. The pressure of closing out a division title has to be immense for a team that hasn’t won one in over 20 years. The Bears have nothing to play for but pride and knocking off a division opponent. The spread is high and I like the Bears to keep the game close, however the Lions will prevail with the straight up victory.
NFL Odds: Lions 23, Bears 20
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