The Chicago Bears had run off three straight wins and were still in the playoff conversation…until they went to Lambeau Field last week and fell to the Packers by eight. The Bears almost pulled off the unthinkable on the last play, though, running a hook-and-ladder from near midfield that made it down to the Green Bay 2. Things don’t get any easier this week, with Kansas City coming to Soldier Field in prime time.
The Bears could play the spoiler, but they could also serve as the next victims for the Chiefs’ high-octane offense. Chicago brings a stout defense, which will challenge Patrick Mahomes, and Soldier Field in prime time can be a tough place to play. Don’t miss our sports betting preview of this week’s edition of Sunday Night Football.
Chiefs vs Bears 2019 NFL Week 16 Lines & Betting Preview
Ain’t nothing but Kingdom Business pic.twitter.com/ZqJPaCXZd1
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) December 19, 2019
- When: Sunday, December 22, 2019, 8:20 pm ET
- Where: Soldier Field, Chicago
- TV: NBC
- Radio: Westwood One
- Live Stream: NFL Game Pass
- NFL Week 16 Odds: Kansas City -5.5 / O/U 45
Why should you bet on Kansas City?
Kansas City comes in at 10-4, having won four straight to start the season, then sputtered a bit, winning just two of their next six games, but then righting the ship with another four-game winning streak. In those last four games, they have also covered in each game. Their most impressive win in this streak was a 23-16 victory over the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Kansas City has also been a solid team for bettors on the road going back over the last 3+ seasons, covering in 20 of their last 29 games away from Arrowhead Stadium.
Last week, Kansas City smothered the Denver Broncos, 23-3, on a snowy day at Arrowhead. Patrick Mahomes surprised the Denver defense with a pass-first attack, going 27 for 34 for 340 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the swirling snowflakes. Harrison Butker was equally impressive given the conditions, making all three of his field goal attempts. The Chiefs also picked off Broncos quarterback Drew Lock one time. That gave the Chiefs a 5-0 record in AFC West games this season.
Why should you put your money on Chicago?
The Chicago Bears saw a three-game winning streak come to an end at Lambeau Field last week. Mitch Trubisky has had a solid second half to the 2019 season, but it seems that it will turn out to have been too little, too late, as the Bears are now 7-7 and will not be able to crack the postseason, a year after winning the NFC North. The Bears have one of the top defenses in the NFL, but their inconsistency moving the ball — and, in particular, finishing drives with points — doomed them over the course of the season.
In their loss to the Packers, Trubisky went 29 for 53 for 334 yards and a touchdown, but he also had a pair of interceptions that harmed the Bears’ cause. His top target, Allen Robinson, had a huge day, hauling in seven balls for 125 yards. The Bears outgained the Packers by 123 yards, but they coughed the ball up three times overall, while Green Bay did not turn the ball over at all. So while the Bears did have a last gasp chance, they made their own bed with poor ball security. Chicago has only covered twice in their last ten games and just once in their five games this season against teams with winning records, so if you like them here, you likely see this as a trap game for the Chiefs.
Final Score Prediction
An interesting note here is that the “under” has gone 4-0 in the Chiefs’ last four games and has gone 5-2 in the last seven games for the Bears at Soldier Field. Given the defenses involved, I see this game going under, with the Chiefs beating Chicago, 27-16.
