Getty The Chicago Bears take on the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football.
It’s still early in the season, but both the Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins are in desperate need of of a win as they meet up on Monday Night Football to close out Week 3 of the NFL season .
The Bears watched all of their NFC North rivals rip off wins on Sunday, adding extra urgency to the prime-time matchup. Meanwhile the Redskins are still in search of their first win of the season as they look to keep pace in the competitive NFC East.
The Bears are road favorites for this one and are currently installed as 5.5-point favorites, according to Odds Shark. The total for the game is set at just 42, one of the lowest of the weekend.
Here’s some background on both teams and advice on who to back in this one.
Mitch Trubisky, Bears Have had Epic Struggles Offensively
GettyBears QB Mitchell Trubisky.
After a Pro Bowl season, Bears third-year quarterback Mitch Trubisky regressed and has yet to throw a touchdown pass. He is completing his passes at just a 58 percent clip and is coming off a miserable performance against the Broncos where he passed for just 120 yards.
Trubisky feels like the Bears could be in a bounce back spot on the road against the Redskins.
“They got some openings where we could have some success on offense this week,” Trubisky told reporters Thursday. “We’ve got to believe that this offense can explode at any minute because of the playmakers and the special guys we have in the locker room.”
The Bears managed their first win of the season of the season as kicker Eddy Pineiro drilled a 53-yard field goal to seal a 16-14 win.
“We can’t keep doing that, but I like that we’re going through some adversity right now,” Nagy said. “I like that we got the win, I like that it’s mentally callousing us.
“It’s making us mentally tougher and when you can get mentally stronger and still win the game, you figure things out, you stick together, you become a lot stronger in the end and I think that’s where we’re at right now. We’re learning from that.”
Redskins Have Been Unable to Finish Games
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
Washington has been able to keep things close in the first half, but the final two quarters have been the problem for the Redskins. The team has allowed 569 combined yards in the second halves of their first two games.
“We’re struggling a little bit, but it takes time,” defensive tackle told the media this week. “The more we work together as a team, the more we progress as a team, the better we’re going to get. We’re going to get things rolling. It’s going to be pretty.”
Case Keenum has performed admirably as a stopgap quarterback for the Redskins, keeping the spot warm as rookie first-round pick Dwayne Haskins watches and learns. Keenum has thrown for 601 yards, five touchdown passes and no interceptions, but has had no support of a run game. The Redskins have only attempted 30 run plays this season and Adrian Peterson is the team’s leading rusher with just 25 yards.
Bears vs Redskins: Best Bet, Pick & Prediction
The Bears are by far the superior team here, but have been a mixed bag so far with their offensive struggles.
That being said, Keenum taking on a top-notch defense with no run support to speak of is nothing a bettor wants to get involved with.
Pick: Bears -5.5
Total: Under 41
Prediction: Bears 20, Redskins 14