Detroit Lions wide receiver Golden Tate. (Getty)
The Chicago Bears head to Ford Field to face the Detroit Lions in an NFC North matchup on Sunday in Week 14.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Eastern and the game will be televised by CBS.
Here’s a complete look at all the betting info you need to know, as well as a prediction of the Week 14 NFL game below:
Lions vs. Bears Week 14 Betting Info
Note: All odds and numbers courtesy of OddsShark.com and are updated as of December 11
Spread: Lions (-7.5)
Betting Percentages: 57 percent for the Lions (-7.5)
Over/Under: 42
Betting Percentages: 58 percent for the OVER
Season Results: Lions 8-4 straight up; 8-4 against the spread; 4-8 for the UNDER — Bears 3-9 straight up; 5-7 against the spread; 4-7-1 for the UNDER
Prediction
The Bears are coming off a rout of the hapless 49ers, one of their three wins on the season. Another one of those victories came against the Lions in Week 4, a 17-14 win at Soldier Field.
Since that loss, the Lions have won 7 of 8, including 4 straight. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has been playing MVP-caliber football, throwing for 14 touchdowns and just 1 interception in those 8 games.
The Bears have a respectable defense, but they’re lacking playmakers on offense. They are down to third-string quarterback Matt Barkley and a cast of unknown receivers. Rookie running back Jordan Howard has been a bright spot, rushing for 883 yards and topping the 100 mark five times.
Rush defense has been a strength for Detroit, allowing 98 yards per game and just 6 touchdowns. Howard could find the sledding tough on Sunday. Chicago will need Barkley to be effective, which can be done against the Lions. Detroit allows opposing QBs to complete nearly 74 percent of their passes and rank near the bottom in the NFL in sacks (21) and near the top in TD passes allowed (22). The Lions, though, did just shut down NFL passing leader Drew Brees (3 interceptions, zero touchdowns).
That Lions D also hasn’t allowed an opponent to score more than 20 points in the last 6 games. That could spell trouble for the Bears, a team struggling to score themselves.
Here are a couple of betting trends ahead of Sunday’s game. The Lions are 7-1 against the spread in the past 8, while the Bears are 4-1 ATS over the past 5. The total has gone under in 5 straight games for Detroit and 5 of the last 7 for Chicago.
The Lions are playing efficient, turnover-free football on offense and are stingy on the defensive side. They’ve made the playoffs just twice this century (2011, 2014), but could be closing in on the NFC North title as the rest of the division has been struggling. They’d be wise not to overlook the Bears, though, as they close the season with a tough slate — at Giants, at Cowboys, vs. Packers.
They won’t take Chicago lightly. The Lions will take care of business at home and go to 9-4 in relatively easy fashion.
The Pick: Lions 26-10 (Lions win straight up, Lions cover the spread, the UNDER wins)
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