Tag Archives: CHICAGO BEARS

Arizona Cardinals vs Chicago Bears Football Prediction

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Arizona Cardinals (+3) @ Chicago Bears Football Prediction: I think Arizona’s the better team, but more-so I think Chicago is at the wrong side of a tough match-up in this one. The Bears struggle against accurate passers, they struggle against teams that stop the run, and when they can’t run the ball with ease, they make mistakes that really kill them. I know, the story of Jay Cutler’s life.

Now, I think this could be a close game, but Arizona’s chances of winning this thing are pretty good. The Bears don’t really eliminate anything Arizona does, so the Cardinals should dictate the flow of the game. That’s bad news for Bears fans. Usually, the fact that Arizona is traveling eastward would be bad news for their chances, but as it seems, pulling off multiple road upsets on their way to the Super Bowl had done wonders for their road confidence. They are 3-0 away from home this season, dominating at Jacksonville, Seattle, and ousting the Giants in New York. Those last two are tough places to play, too.

These two teams don’t have much of a recent history, in fact, I don’t think Kurt Warner has played the Bears while in a Cardinal uniform. I do know that Chicago has struggled against solid passing attacks, losing to Green Bay, Atlanta, and Cincinnati so far this season. 3 of their 4 wins also don’t impress me much – we’re talking Seattle, Detroit, and Cleveland here. Beating Pittsburgh was a good win, definitely, so the talent is obviously there.

What it comes down to is match-ups and the Cardinals get the nod in a lot of key areas. I’ll take them to continue their undefeated road record in 2009, at least against the spread.

Cleveland Browns vs Chicago Bears Pick & Preview

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Cleveland Browns (+14) @ Chicago Bears Pick and Preview: I know, big dogs have been suicide all season long, and this very well might be another one of those, lord knows the Browns have it in them – but at the very least, Cleveland has been a defense that forces opposing quarterbacks into bad throws, and if you don’t think Jay Cutler is prone to interceptions than you have been smoking the good stuff. The Browns can, at least, run the football. They have a powerful offensive line, a very underrated unit, and a couple running backs that can get 4 yards a pop. The Bears can be run on, they are beat up in the front 7, they need to commit to helping in the secondary (because they struggle there) and the bottom line is there’s space to run in Chicago. Sure, the Browns have a brutal run defense, sure, they’ve gotten blown out a few times this year, but I think they can stick with the Bears. Chicago will have to show me one heck of a lot more before I take them as a two touchdown favorite this season. They make mistakes on offense, they allow big plays on defense, and they are prone to quick offensive series – that won’t take advantage of Cleveland’s biggest weakness. Always tough to take the Brownies, but the value is with them on the road.

Papas Picks NFL Week 7: Only Underdogs! Bears, Chiefs, Falcons

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So, I went 2-1 last week, and look to, at the very least, keep that 66.6% rocking hard as the season moves forward. I’m taking dogs here, nothing but dogs from here on out, and going to show you that if you pick right, the dogs can make you money. I have another trio of games this week, expecting three outright wins but I’ll take the points. Here goes!!!

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Chicago Bears (+1) @ Cincinnati Bengals: A lot is being said about Cedric Benson’s 1st game against the Bears since they cut him, blasted his work ethic, and basically told anybody that would listen how Ced was never going to amount to anything despite them spending a Top 5 pick on the guy. So at least one Bengal is going to be motivated come Sunday. But that’s not enough for me, and I think Jay Cutler has one of his “accurate games”, you know, 1 interception or less, carving up the opposing defense (though Cinci has been good this year on that side of the ball). I like the Bears to win on the road, I think their running game finally gets going a little bit, but not enough to make those owners that picked Matt Forte happy. Not that much.

San Diego Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs (+4.5): The Chiefs are better than people give them credit for, the Chargers are much, much worse. Seems like enough for me, but wait, I have more. The Chargers defense hasn’t show the ability to stop anyone (even last week, they stopped Denver a bit, but Kyle Orton still came back to slice them up just enough to give the Broncos an easy win). If your defense can’t get off the field, then you can’t consistently cover road games where you are favored by 4.5 points. It could happen, sure, but the good money is on KC, and I’m a good money bettor.

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Atlanta Falcons (+4) @ Dallas Cowboys: This is hardly a true underdog, as a majority of the public likes Atlanta at most sports books, but they are still 4 point dogs, and in Dallas where the Cowboys have a lame-duck coach, their offensive coordinator seems to be slipping, their huge investment “best” receiver is probably still out with ouchy tummy, and their defense hasn’t been able to put pressure on anyone, it’s just hard to like the Cowboys. Tony Romo should turn it around a bit this week, but Dallas can’t lock down on opposing offense’s #1 threats, and thus Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez should find wide open spaces in the friendly confines of Cowboys Stadium. If that big ass TV screen doesn’t get in the way, and if they can keep their focus on the game and off the hundreds of cheerleaders acting as cage dancers, I think the Falcons pull away from Dallas late. There it is.

Chicago Bears vs Cincinnati Bengals Free Sports Pick

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Chicago Bears @ Cincinnati Bengals (-1): The Bengals, favored at home, against a mediocre NFC team – yeah, I like my chances. Now, the Bears shot themselves in the foot all week long against the Broncos, and the game was still very close – but that doesn’t mean it’s going to carry over here. The Bengals also have a very good defense, a secondary that preys on mistakes by opposing quarterbacks, often baiting them into poor throws. It’s also a defense that rarely breaks completely. The Bengals have given up 21 points or more just twice this season, making offenses work for their touchdowns is a big reason they are 4-2. I know Jay Cutler has a rocket cannon arm, but the Bears will once again be limited to their passing game as the Bengals have the ability to shut down a Bears run game that has been weak all season long. Cedric Benson will have something to prove in this game, and I think he’ll get his teammates to climb on his back for this victory. He’s been running angry so far this season, and I think he’s been looking forward to this match-up for a long time. The Bengals are good, they’ve had some late comebacks, but they aren’t flukey, they are a good value bet at home against the Bears.

NFL Free Picks: Week 6

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I had a solid week in Week 5, pulling 3 more games up on the season while going 8-5-1. This week I’m looking for another winning week to keep my game going. Here’s what I like and the other ones I have to pick. The road teams seem to be getting most of my attention this week, while dogs and favorites are split right down the middle. Enjoy the show.

Baltimore Ravens (+6) @ Indianapolis Colts: I can’t see value in the Colts right now. I don’t love Baltimore and I think Peyton has played well against them in the past, but right now I think a tough Ravens running game will give an inconsistent Colts team trouble, even if the Ravens can’t pass real well with Flacco running the show. I expect Addai to get close to nothing and Willis McGahee to have his best game of the year. Picking against the Colts always makes me worry a bit, but this seems like pretty solid value.

Cincinnati Bengals (+6) @ New York Jets: I hate taking the Bengals, really, I do. I just think they are better than their 0-5 record and it has to turn around somewhere. I’m not dying in love with this game, but +6 for a Bengals team that’s played a lot of close games recently, I like that more than taking a Jets team that hadn’t really impressed me before two weeks ago against Arizona.

Carolina Panthers (+2.5) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: I’ve always liked the Panthers as a dog, and even though I buy Tampa Bay as an underrated team, and probably see some value with them at home in this one, my gut is telling me to go with the Panthers – so, screw a bunch of value, I’m going Carolina Blue on this one.

Chicago Bears (-2.5) @ Atlanta Falcons: Am I living on the edge here? Picking against the Falcons once again? I know they’ve been killing me a few times this year, but I think Forte is too much of a force for the Falcons defensive front and I like what Orton has been doing through the air. I think Atlanta is much improved, but the Bears are back (at least better than they were). I’m still not ready to fully buy in to the Bears rolling to the playoffs, but week after week they move up in my book.

Oakland Raiders @ New Orleans Saints (-7): I think the Raiders with Lane Kiffin is a great value here – but Lane was fired because Al Davis was beginning to look like an idiot -fair enough. Until the Raiders prove otherwise, I’m definitely not picking them. I actually felt comfortable taking Oakland in this situation, because I’ve never thought much of the Saints, but at just a touchdown this one is a home team special for me.

Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings (-13): Similar to Washington State sports, you can’t see much love for Detroit or St. Louis in the NFL right now. The Vikings are a decent team, they should have lost on Monday Night, but they are a decent team. They will run more and be more effective doing it against the Lions, and of course they can always throw if the need to. Detroit won’t be able to run, and their whole plan to do a scaled down offense with the hurry up seems like a backfire waiting to happen. Gimics don’t get you wins in the NFL, take the Vikings or don’t bet this game at all.

Miami Dolphins (+3.5) @ Houston Texas: The 3.5 (the .5 part) gives me some value on the Dolphins. They do a good job of following their game plan, play discipline football, and make few mistakes offensively. I think the Texans are a much better team than 0-4 indicates, though, so if I had the choice I wouldn’t play this game. Houston has a solid offense and a defense with lots of talent, I think they will only get better as the seasons moves forward. I just like the fact that if Miami loses by a field goal I still win.

St. Louis Rams @ Washington Redskins (-13.5): All those points, what shall we do with them? Juggle them, shoot them in a hoop, I don’t care, I’d just stay away from any kind of “value bet” involving the St. Louis Rams. At -13.5 they might have some value, if they weren’t the Rams. If Detroit wasn’t around, the Rams would the be the sure thing worst team in football. Cincinnati and Cleveland would wallop the Rams. I like what the Redskins are doing, and honestly, they don’t have a weakness right now. They are getting healthier on defense and even with two touchdowns needed to cover, I think this is a solid bet.

Jacksonville Jaguars (+3.5) @ Denver Broncos: This is another tough call for me. I like the Jaguars to run all over the Broncos, but I also like Denver to throw the ball all over the Jaguars secondary. It’s like these two teams are made to put up loads of points on each other. At 48, I’d be taking the over instead of playing either side of this game. I guess, like the Miami game, I see a little bit more value in +3.5, because if Denver comes down and kicks a field goal to win it I still win with the Jags. If Cutler and his receivers don’t hit on all cylinders then that also gives the value nod to Jacksonville. Even with a mediocre offensive line, the Jags should be all ball control in this one. Tough call, but my lean is on Jacksonville at +3.5.

Philadelphia Eagles (-4) @ San Francisco 49ers: I like the Eagles in this one, in fact I love them. Philly has played like poo-poo over the last two weeks, and the week before that they weren’t brilliant either. That usually means good things for Eagles’ backers, as Philly is a one team slump buster. I think they do a lot right this weekend, even without Westbrook (if he indeed doesn’t play). Buckhalter is a nice running back, and without Westy they’ll just have to plan to get the ball to receiver’s hands more. The Eagles going to 2-4 with a loss to the 49ers, I don’t see it.

Dallas Cowboys (-4.5) @ Arizona Cardinals: I like Dallas to dismantle the Cardinals, or at least win by a touchdown. I think the Boys bring a lot of speed at the quarterback, and while Warner has been pretty good (despite one turnover happy game) he has always been prone to the mistake, and Dallas has the athletes and offense to really make him pay. Arizona has a chance because of their run defense, but I like Barber to have a solid game against the Cardinals – that should cut out any hopes the Cards have at an upset here. Jason Witten and Terrell Owens should be enough to keep the Cardinals’ secondary occupied, meaning that extra help the front 7 usually gets won’t be there for much of the game. Cowboys are the play here.

Green Bay Packers (+2.5) @ Seattle Seahawks: Stay away from Washington sports. Seattle’s bound to have another receiver injury this week, and if that happens they’ll have to dress up Charlie Frye in an 80 number and see if he can’t pass for Steve Largent. Green Bay had a little bit too much hype after the first couple weeks, and now look where they are. Still, I don’t see them coming into Seattle and not running the ball right down the Seahawks throats. Ryan Grant should have his first big fantasy day of the year, and that will lead the Packers to a victory over their former coach.

New England Patriots @ San Diego Chargers (-5.5): Lets see, the Patriots don’t run the ball real well right now and their passing game doesn’t flourish either. They capitalized on a lot of 49er mistakes in Week 5, but I doubt the Chargers will be so kind on Sunday Night. I’m willing to bet that LaDainian Tomlinson actually has a decent day on the ground, and Phillip Rivers continues to be his accurate self. The Patriots at +5.5 seem like a great bet, but my feeling has me taking the Chargers to win by a touchdown. Come on SD, this is your chance, get those Patriots while you can.

New York Giants @ Cleveland Browns (+9): Mistake? Maybe so. But the value is on Cleveland in this one. They play close games and they have talent. They will be as healthy as they’ve been all season, and New York is coming off one of their best games ever. Cleveland is coming off a bye week and while the Browns have stomped me down a couple times this season, I have to believe they’ll play up to their potential on Monday Night at home against the Super Bowl Champs. I also think this line should be somewhere close to 3.5 to 5 points, so 4 points of value is the way I have to go. Tough to pick against the Giants after the way they’ve started, but I’m not too amazed by their weak competition thus far – so maybe I’m right about this one after-all.

NFL Free Picks: Pre-Season Week 3

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So, there’s some more thought that goes into Week 3 pre-season football. At first I’m doing my best to hunt for camp competitions and general rules for pre-season action, but now, aside from a couple instances, my pre-season picks are based on where I’d go during the regular season. With starters playing an entire half, and possibly into the 3rd quarter, I have to expect the best teams to pull out of hte first half with an early lead. I’m not ignoring 2nd teamers, but they are getting less consideration this week. Here’s my Top 5 bets this week.

Thursday

San Francisco 49ers @ Chicago Bears (-3): Here’s the deal; the 49ers put up loads of points last time out and they just aren’t that good offensively. I’m sure Frank Gore will get minimal action and he is the teams best player. J.T. O’Sullivan is starting again for the 49ers and he is expected to play into the 3rd quarter and basically has the starting job on lockdown. He’s been decent as a fighter but has never been “the guy” before now, so I’m not sure how he’ll handle it. Also, the 49ers are terrible. The Bears defense can put up points, and with Kyle Orton playing most of the game, Chicago’s mistakes won’t be there as much. I’m not a huge fan of Orton, but he does do enough to win football games or at least not lose them. Devin Hester is ready to go off in this game, and I can’t wait to see Matt Forte make some good plays for the Bears. In the 2nd half, I like Chicago as well. Say what you want about Rex Grossman, but he’s probably better than anything the 49ers have right now. He’ll be trying to prove himself late, and thus the Bears get the nod on Thursday.

Friday

Tennessee Titans (+3) @ Atlanta Falcons: The Titans are obviously the much better team here, and their biggest strength will stall the Falcons best offensive weapon, Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood. Tennessee hasn’t gotten on track in the air yet, but Vince Young and Kerry Collins are solid options as 1 and 2 quarterbacks in this league, so I expect them to be on target in this contest. I like the receiver battle for playing time in Tennessee and the Titans are always full of young defensive weapons. Matt Ryan is starting and playing in this game into the 2nd half, and that’s probably not a good thing for Atlanta. He’s a good young leader and looks to be a fine prospect, but the last defensive line I want to go up against is one where Javon Kearse is the worst player. Yikes. I like Tennesse’s 1st and 2nd team more than either of Atlanta’s, and the Titans offense should come out with a little umph.

Philadelphia Eagles (+1.5) @ New England Patriots: The Eagles will win this game for a couple reasons. It’s amazing but even Andy Reid cares more about winning in the pre-season than Bill Belichick. Tom Brady is unlikely to play, and with so many aging vets on the squad, so are many other key players. The Eagles have an improved defense and you can bet that Asante Samuel is excited to prove himself against his old club. Donovan McNabb was a little off-target in last week’s pre-season match-up, so expect his on and off pre-season to go up this week. I like the foursome of running backs in Philly, and after Kevin Curtis it still looks like 5 Eagle receivers are competing for playing time. I would definitely take the Pats during the pre-season, but their exhibition season history has me once again going against them. Back to the well one time too many? We’ll see.

Saturday

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3): I have to like the Bucs to win this one. They are a team that does the little things right, takes nothing for granted, and generally plays mistake free football. Jeff Garcia hasn’t even played yet and this team is still 2-0 in the pre-season with some impressive play. Even if Jeff stays out for one more game, I like Brian Griese, Luke McCown, Chirs Simms, and rookie Josh Johnson as pre-season hurlers. The Bucs also have a pretty talented back-field duo in Earnest Graham and Michael Bennett – either will do a fine job on Saturday. Antonio Bryant is playing well, as he’s trying to get back in the swing of game speed, and Ike Hilliard, Maurice Stovall, and Warrick Dunn are all becoming threats as receivers. I like the Jags, and they are surely a tough squad, but I don’t expect their offensive stars to play much more than a quarter and defensively they just aren’t as tough in the pre-season.

New Orleans Saints (-1) @ Cincinnati Bengals: Boy oh boy the Bengals have looked bad. And it’s not just their running game, Carson Palmer has been inconsistent and timid in the pocket. I know I love the big red head and have always thought that his upside exudes that of the best quarterbacks in the league, but right now he looks lost. Chad is out for this game, so is TJ Houshmandzadeh, and with his two favorite targets out of the game I’m not sure Carson will even play that long. On the other hand, Drew Brees is on fire. He’s the most accurate quarterback in the league right now, and he’s a pre-season monster. Reggie Bush is trying to find himself, but I really like the receiver battle in New Orleans. Robert Meachem, David Patten, Lance Moore – these are all guys trying to grab the #2 job away from Devery Henderson, and honestly, I love it. I think the Saints will dominate this game against a confused Bengals club.

Free Super Bowl 41 Pick

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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS vs. CHICAGO BEARS

The Colts come into Miami as a touchdown favorite over the Bears. Indianapolis has finally exercised their playoff demons, conquering the Patriots on way to their first Super Bowl in the Peyton Manning era, while the Bears have reached the big show for the first time since their 1985 Super squad won the whole thing. A battle of Defense against Offense ensues when Brian Urlacher and the Bears take on Peyton Manning and his Colts.

An Argument for the Bears

Chicago comes to Miami saying all the right things. They also show up as a touchdown underdog, something that rarely works out for the heavily favored team. Chicago has proven throughout the playoffs and during the regular season, that they can win close games (27-24 over the Hawks in Round 2) and finish games they dominate (39-14 over the Saints in Round 3). Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson have steamrolled opposing defenses, rushing for a combined 294 yards and 5 touchdowns in two playoff games. And Rex Grossman, amongst much criticism, has done everything he has been asked to do, including the completions of some huge throws down the stretch to set his team up for victory. Underdogs often play with a confident, nothing to lose manor, giving them a slight edge when the going gets tough. Chicago has lost 3 games all season, and that’s only if you count a meaningless loss to the Packers in Week 17. The Bears score more points per game than the Colts. Ask anyone, the Bears defense is better than the Colts defense, no question about it. The Bears are 7-1 against the Colts all time, winning their last match-up with the Colts, 24-17 in 2005, when they held Peyton and the Colts to 30 rushing yards and 172 yards through the air, while forcing 6 fumbles. That game was in Indianapolis. The Colts finished the regular season 2-4 while the Bears finished the season off 4-2. The bottom line is, the Colts gave up huge rushing games all year long, while the Bears have dominated teams on the ground, while taking big chances off of play action through the air. Rex Grossman has dealt with the pressure of big games well, while it’s Peyton Manning that has looked like a frustrated young quarterback for much of post season play. The Colts don’t have a rushing attack that can force the Bears to respect the ground game, leaving plenty of defensive backs to give Manning trouble. If this game comes down to special teams, the Bears get the nod over the Colts, as Devin Hester is the most electrifying player on either team. With their will to win in tact, he Bears should win this game easily.

An Argument for the Colts

The Bears have proven over t the latter half of the season, including the playoffs, that they can’t stop the pass adequately; So how will Chicago limit a team that has Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison at the receiving positions, with Peyton Manning throwing the pig skin? Answer: They won’t. Manning finally found his passing touch with the game on the line against the Patriots. Peyton, who is often touted as the best passer in the game, finally finds himself in the Super Bowl, and he won’t fumble the snap in this one. With Dallas Clark stepping up in the playoffs, Manning has too many weapons for a Bears defense that has had trouble stopping quality passers all season long (as even Drew Brees tossed for over 350 yards against the Bears). The Colts dominated time of possession all season long, and hold that title over the Bears as well. Indy is 9-4-1 ATS recently, when playing on grass. While many people like to give the Bears the nod in special teams this week, they must be forgetting a certain kicker that was acquired before this season began. Adam Vinitieri anyone? Yes, he just happens to be the most clutch kicker in the game. I’m sure Devin is fast and shifty, but Adam has won a playoff game or two, not to mention a Super Bowl championship. Devin who? And I know Chicago has picked up yards all season long, but Indy is much better than the Bears in that category, and when they get to the red zone, unlike the Bears, the Colts score at an alarming rate. Many people will question the Colts defense coming in, but how can you do that with the way they’ve played in the playoffs, when defense matters most? Sure, the Colts gave up 157 rushing yards per game during the regular season, but this time of year is anything but regular, and the Colts, in turn, have stepped right up. In each of their playoff games, they didn’t give up 100 yards, holding Larry Johnson and the Chiefs to 42 yards on the ground, giving up only 83 yards to the smash mouth Raven rushing game, and only 93 yards to the two headed monster rushing attack of Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney. Now that’s a run defense. And how can the Bears 13 win regular season convince anyone? As they only played 4 playoff teams the entire year. And it’s hard to believe the Bears can slow Manning, Reggie, Marvin, and Dallas when they gave up over 200 passing yards per game to the poor passing attacks in the NFC, not to mention 550 yards in two playoff games. Don’t let the hype of the Bears defense deceive you, the Colts have outplayed them defensively throughout the post season race to the Super Bowl. And that, my friends, should be the difference.
Lucky Lester’s Super Bowl Take – 1 Stat Says It All

Many believe quarterback play will decide this game, while others believe the team with the best running attack will take the rings home. Others claim the best defense will decide the Super Bowl, and some even go as far to say big plays on special teams will help crown a winner. However, if I had to pick one single stat that I all but guarantee to go to the winner of the game, I would choose Time of Possession. And that’s one of the main reasons I’m taking the Colts. Because, sure, the Bears have a wonderful defense. Great players, great speed, and strength up front. But Peyton Manning can thread a needle with the best of them, and his three main targets know how to get open. The Colts will run the ball plenty on Sunday, but their key to controlling the ball, and the clock, will rest on the accurate dump down passing of Mr. Manning. He knows how to get first downs, and he can hit a 7 yard stop pattern with the best of them, something that will hurt the Bears early and often. The longer Chicago’s defense sits in their stance waiting for Peyton to make a change, and snap the ball, the more they’ll struggle to stay rejuvenated. This struggle will tire the Bears defensive front, making the game come easier to Indy. While the Bears possess a healthy rushing attack, Rex’s inability to be consistent on easy throws will hurt the Bears attempts to control the clock, in turn, helping the Colts win the game. That’s my take, one stat line should decide it all, and my money’s on Peyton to get it
done!

The Bet

Take the Indianapolis Colts (-6.5) over the Chicago Bears, in Miami. This is one time that the great offence will trump the great defense, and finally we can stop hearing people talk about Peyton Manning not winning a Super Bowl. The line has fallen a bit, from 7 to 6.5, which makes the Colts that much more attractive to my betting senses. The Colts beat the Bears 35-24 as a late score puts the game out of reach in Miami.

Free Super Bowl 41 Picks

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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS vs. CHICAGO BEARS

The Colts come into Miami as a touchdown favorite over the Bears. Indianapolis has finally exercised their playoff demons, conquering the Patriots on way to their first Super Bowl in the Peyton Manning era, while the Bears have reached the big show for the first time since their 1985 super squad won the whole thing. A battle of Defense against Offense ensues when Brian Urlacher and the Bears take on Peyton Manning and his Colts.

An Argument for the Bears

Chicago comes to Miami saying all the right things. They also show up as a touchdown underdog, something that rarely works out for the heavily favored team. Chicago has proven throughout the playoffs and during the regular season, that they can win close games (27-24 over the Hawks in Round 2) and finish games they dominate (39-14 over the Saints in Round 3). Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson have steamrolled opposing defenses, rushing for a combined 294 yards and 5 touchdowns in two playoff games. And Rex Grossman, amongst much criticism, has done everything he has been asked to do, including the completions of some huge throws down the stretch to set his team up for victory. Underdogs often play with a confident, nothing to lose manor, giving them a slight edge when the going gets tough. Chicago has lost 3 games all season, and that’s only if you count a meaningless loss to the Packers in Week 17. The Bears score more points per game than the Colts. Ask anyone, the Bears defense is better than the Colts defense, no question about it. The Bears are 7-1 against the Colts all time, winning their last match-up with the Colts, 24-17 in 2005, when they held Peyton and the Colts to 30 rushing yards and 172 yards through the air, while forcing 6 fumbles. That game was in Indianapolis. The Colts finished the regular season 2-4 while the Bears finished the season off 4-2. The bottom line is, the Colts gave up huge rushing games all year long, while the Bears have dominated teams on the ground, while taking big chances off of play action through the air. Rex Grossman has dealt with the pressure of big games well, while it’s Peyton Manning that has looked like a frustrated young quarterback for much of post season play. The Colts don’t have a rushing attack that can force the Bears to respect the ground game, leaving plenty of defensive backs to give Manning trouble. If this game comes down to special teams, the Bears get the nod over the Colts, as Devin Hester is the most electrifying player on either team. With their will to win in tact, he Bears should win this game easily.

An Argument for the Colts

The Bears have proven over t the latter half of the season, including the playoffs, that they can’t stop the pass adequately; So how will Chicago limit a team that has Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison at the receiving positions, with Peyton Manning throwing the pig skin? Answer: They won’t. Manning finally found his passing touch with the game on the line against the Patriots. Peyton, who is often touted as the best passer in the game, finally finds himself in the Super Bowl, and he won’t fumble the snap in this one. With Dallas Clark stepping up in the playoffs, Manning has too many weapons for a Bears defense that has had trouble stopping quality passers all season long (as even Drew Brees tossed for over 350 yards against the Bears). The Colts dominated time of possession all season long, and hold that title over the Bears as well. Indy is 9-4-1 ATS recently, when playing on grass. While many people like to give the Bears the nod in special teams this week, they must be forgetting a certain kicker that was acquired before this season began. Adam Vinitieri anyone? Yes, he just happens to be the most clutch kicker in the game. I’m sure Devin is fast and shifty, but Adam has won a playoff game or two, not to mention a Super Bowl championship. Devin who? And I know Chicago has picked up yards all season long, but Indy is much better than the Bears in that category, and when they get to the red zone, unlike the Bears, the Colts score at an alarming rate. Many people will question the Colts defense coming in, but how can you do that with the way they’ve played in the playoffs, when defense matters most? Sure, the Colts gave up 157 rushing yards per game during the regular season, but this time of year is anything but regular, and the Colts, in turn, have stepped right up. In each of their playoff games, they didn’t give up 100 yards, holding Larry Johnson and the Chiefs to 42 yards on the ground, giving up only 83 yards to the smash mouth Raven rushing game, and only 93 yards to the two headed monster rushing attack of Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney. Now that’s a run defense. And how can the Bears 13 win regular season convince anyone? As they only played 4 playoff teams the entire year. And it’s hard to believe the Bears can slow Manning, Reggie, Marvin, and Dallas when they gave up over 200 passing yards per game to the poor passing attacks in the NFC, not to mention 550 yards in two playoff games. Don’t let the hype of the Bears defense deceive you, the Colts have outplayed them defensively throughout the post season race to the Super Bowl. And that, my friends, should be the difference.

Lucky Lester’s Super Bowl Take – 1 Stat Says It All

Many believe quarterback play will decide this game, while others believe the team with the best running attack will take the rings home. Others claim the best defense will decide the Super Bowl, and some even go as far to say big plays on special teams will help crown a winner. However, if I had to pick one single stat that I all but guarantee to go to the winner of the game, I would choose Time of Possession. And that’s one of the main reasons I’m taking the Colts. Because, sure, the Bears have a wonderful defense. Great players, great speed, and strength up front. But Peyton Manning can thread a needle with the best of them, and his three main targets know how to get open. The Colts will run the ball plenty on Sunday, but their key to controlling the ball, and the clock, will rest on the accurate dump down passing of Mr. Manning. He knows how to get first downs, and he can hit a 7 yard stop pattern with the best of them, something that will hurt the Bears early and often. The longer Chicago’s defense sits in their stance waiting for Peyton to make a change, and snap the ball, the more they’ll struggle to stay rejuvenated. This struggle will tire the Bears defensive front, making the game come easier to Indy. While the Bears possess a healthy rushing attack, Rex’s inability to be consistent on easy throws will hurt the Bears attempts to control the clock, in turn, helping the Colts win the game. That’s my take, one stat line should decide it all, and my money’s on Peyton to get it done!

The Bet

Take the Indianapolis Colts (-6.5) over the Chicago Bears, in Miami. This is one time that the great offence will trump the great defense, and finally we can stop hearing people talk about Peyton Manning not winning a Super Bowl. The line has fallen a bit, from 7 to 6.5, which makes the Colts that much more attractive to my betting senses. The Colts beat the Bears 35-24 as a late score puts the game out of reach in Miami.

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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS vs. CHICAGO BEARSThe Colts come into Miami as a touchdown favorite over the Bears. Indianapolis has finally exercised their playoff demons, conquering the Patriots on way to their first Super Bowl in the Peyton Manning era, while the Bears have reached the big show for the first time since their 1985 Super squad won the whole thing. A battle of Defense against Offense ensues when Brian Urlacher and the Bears take on Peyton Manning and his Colts.

An Argument for the Bears

Chicago comes to Miami saying all the right things. They also show up as a touchdown underdog, something that rarely works out for the heavily favored team. Chicago has proven throughout the playoffs and during the regular season, that they can win close games (27-24 over the Hawks in Round 2) and finish games they dominate (39-14 over the Saints in Round 3). Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson have steamrolled opposing defenses, rushing for a combined 294 yards and 5 touchdowns in two playoff games. And Rex Grossman, amongst much criticism, has done everything he has been asked to do, including the completions of some huge throws down the stretch to set his team up for victory. Underdogs often play with a confident, nothing to lose manor, giving them a slight edge when the going gets tough. Chicago has lost 3 games all season, and that’s only if you count a meaningless loss to the Packers in Week 17. The Bears score more points per game than the Colts. Ask anyone, the Bears defense is better than the Colts defense, no question about it. The Bears are 7-1 against the Colts all time, winning their last match-up with the Colts, 24-17 in 2005, when they held Peyton and the Colts to 30 rushing yards and 172 yards through the air, while forcing 6 fumbles. That game was in Indianapolis. The Colts finished the regular season 2-4 while the Bears finished the season off 4-2. The bottom line is, the Colts gave up huge rushing games all year long, while the Bears have dominated teams on the ground, while taking big chances off of play action through the air. Rex Grossman has dealt with the pressure of big games well, while it’s Peyton Manning that has looked like a frustrated young quarterback for much of post season play. The Colts don’t have a rushing attack that can force the Bears to respect the ground game, leaving plenty of defensive backs to give Manning trouble. If this game comes down to special teams, the Bears get the nod over the Colts, as Devin Hester is the most electrifying player on either team. With their will to win in tact, he Bears should win this game easily.

An Argument for the Colts

The Bears have proven over t the latter half of the season, including the playoffs, that they can’t stop the pass adequately; So how will Chicago limit a team that has Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison at the receiving positions, with Peyton Manning throwing the pig skin? Answer: They won’t. Manning finally found his passing touch with the game on the line against the Patriots. Peyton, who is often touted as the best passer in the game, finally finds himself in the Super Bowl, and he won’t fumble the snap in this one. With Dallas Clark stepping up in the playoffs, Manning has too many weapons for a Bears defense that has had trouble stopping quality passers all season long (as even Drew Brees tossed for over 350 yards against the Bears). The Colts dominated time of possession all season long, and hold that title over the Bears as well. Indy is 9-4-1 ATS recently, when playing on grass. While many people like to give the Bears the nod in special teams this week, they must be forgetting a certain kicker that was acquired before this season began. Adam Vinitieri anyone? Yes, he just happens to be the most clutch kicker in the game. I’m sure Devin is fast and shifty, but Adam has won a playoff game or two, not to mention a Super Bowl championship. Devin who? And I know Chicago has picked up yards all season long, but Indy is much better than the Bears in that category, and when they get to the red zone, unlike the Bears, the Colts score at an alarming rate. Many people will question the Colts defense coming in, but how can you do that with the way they’ve played in the playoffs, when defense matters most? Sure, the Colts gave up 157 rushing yards per game during the regular season, but this time of year is anything but regular, and the Colts, in turn, have stepped right up. In each of their playoff games, they didn’t give up 100 yards, holding Larry Johnson and the Chiefs to 42 yards on the ground, giving up only 83 yards to the smash mouth Raven rushing game, and only 93 yards to the two headed monster rushing attack of Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney. Now that’s a run defense. And how can the Bears 13 win regular season convince anyone? As they only played 4 playoff teams the entire year. And it’s hard to believe the Bears can slow Manning, Reggie, Marvin, and Dallas when they gave up over 200 passing yards per game to the poor passing attacks in the NFC, not to mention 550 yards in two playoff games. Don’t let the hype of the Bears defense deceive you, the Colts have outplayed them defensively throughout the post season race to the Super Bowl. And that, my friends, should be the difference.
Lucky Lester’s Super Bowl Take – 1 Stat Says It All

Many believe quarterback play will decide this game, while others believe the team with the best running attack will take the rings home. Others claim the best defense will decide the Super Bowl, and some even go as far to say big plays on special teams will help crown a winner. However, if I had to pick one single stat that I all but guarantee to go to the winner of the game, I would choose Time of Possession. And that’s one of the main reasons I’m taking the Colts. Because, sure, the Bears have a wonderful defense. Great players, great speed, and strength up front. But Peyton Manning can thread a needle with the best of them, and his three main targets know how to get open. The Colts will run the ball plenty on Sunday, but their key to controlling the ball, and the clock, will rest on the accurate dump down passing of Mr. Manning. He knows how to get first downs, and he can hit a 7 yard stop pattern with the best of them, something that will hurt the Bears early and often. The longer Chicago’s defense sits in their stance waiting for Peyton to make a change, and snap the ball, the more they’ll struggle to stay rejuvenated. This struggle will tire the Bears defensive front, making the game come easier to Indy. While the Bears possess a healthy rushing attack, Rex’s inability to be consistent on easy throws will hurt the Bears attempts to control the clock, in turn, helping the Colts win the game. That’s my take, one stat line should decide it all, and my money’s on Peyton to get it
done!

The Bet

Take the Indianapolis Colts (-6.5) over the Chicago Bears, in Miami. This is one time that the great offence will trump the great defense, and finally we can stop hearing people talk about Peyton Manning not winning a Super Bowl. The line has fallen a bit, from 7 to 6.5, which makes the Colts that much more attractive to my betting senses. The Colts beat the Bears 35-24 as a late score puts the game out of reach in Miami.