The season is unraveling quickly in Chicago, and even with a rookie quarterback at the helm, the Cowboys will be substantial favorites. They are coming off a win against the Redskins to get back to 1-1 on the year.
Kickoff for this regular season Week 3 game is set for Sunday, September 25, 2016, at 8:30 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Bears +7
Cowboys -7
Over/Under 44.5
Odds Analysis
While there is plenty to be worried about with the Bears, the spread does seem a bit high in this one, and 58 percent of bettors are taking them to cover. Chicago’s defense is leaky and the offense could be in trouble, but the Cowboys haven’t been blowing teams out of the water.
The “under” is getting hammered, and deservedly so, as both teams could send out backup quarterbacks.
Injury Report
Cutler -- The Bears quarterback sprained his thumb during a strip sack in Monday’s loss to the Eagles and although reports suggest it won’t require surgery to repair, he is questionable for Sunday’s matchup. If Cutler doesn’t play, Brian Hoyer is expected to take the reins.
Orlando Scandrick -- The Cowboys cornerback has a hamstring injury that he’s attempting to play through, but he’s only being used in nickel formations and is struggling. He is a talented cover man and should improve as the year goes on, but could be limited in this one.
Matchup to Watch
Bears wide receivers against the Cowboys’ secondary -- Whether it is Cutler or Hoyer at the helm, the Bears’ chances of winning will be centered around their ability to get the ball into the hands of their playmakers.
The running game has struggled, and the best hope for the offense resides in the pass-catchers. Alshon Jeffery is an elite option, while talented youngster Kevin White and veteran Eddie Royal are a pair of capable players.
Chicago’s defense did not play very well against the Eagles and can’t be expected to totally shut down the Cowboys, even with rookie Dak Prescott throwing passes. The Bears should be able to move the ball through the air as long as Hoyer or Cutler can dissect the defense.
Free ATS Pick
The Cowboys haven’t played very well at home lately. In fact, their last win at AT&T Stadium was last September when they defeated the Giants by a point in the season opener. Since then, Dallas has gone 0-8 at home.
The team will definitely be looking to break that losing streak this week against a badly hurting Bears team. Prescott played well the last time out against the Redskins, and he hopes to get some balance with some good running from Ezekiel Elliott.
The Bears had trouble containing any of the Eagles’ weapons and Dallas has higher-end talent when you include the likes of star receiver Dez Bryant.
The Bears started the season on the road, losing 23-14 to Houston on September 11th and didn’t look any better -- even before Cutler’s injury -- against Philadelphia on Monday Night Football this week, losing by 15.
If Prescott struggles this one could stay close, but it’s hard to imagine Chicago pulling the upset unless it can get going offensively. This one might not be pretty, but expect the Cowboys to grind out a win. The Bears, though, are the right choice to cover.
Like the bettors are doing already, the easy choice is to take the “under” in the scoring total as this one could be a comedy of errors offensively.
NFL Odds: Cowboys 20, Bears 17
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