CHICAGO BEARS VS. DETROIT LIONS EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTIONS — December 22, 2024

CHICAGO BEARS VS. DETROIT LIONS EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTIONS — December 22, 2024 — Greetings, football fans. Welcome back to our NFL coverage here at Godzilla Wins. One of the many games on Sunday’s slate features the Chicago Bears (4-10 SU, 6-6-2 ATS) hosting the Detroit Lions (12-2 SU, 9-5 ATS).

Here is a look at which squad has the edge going into this matchup and why.

Kickoff

When: Sunday, December 22, 2024 @ 1:00 PM ET

Where: Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

TV: FOX

Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions Odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings

Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions — In-Season Stats & Betting Trends

I am running out of adjectives to describe how poorly the Bears have played over the past several weeks. Their 30-12 defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football was their eighth straight loss. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams completed 18 of 31 passes for 191 yards and one touchdown. D’Andre Swift rushed for 79 yards on 19 carries. Keenan Allen had six receptions for 82 yards and one touchdown.

Chicago’s offense struggled in yet another disappointing loss. This unit was just 1 for 12 on third down and produced 284 yards. Additionally, the Bears failed to score in the first half for the third straight game. Matt Eberflus’ firing after the Thanksgiving Day loss against the Detroit Lions was supposed to generate a spark. Unfortunately, that has not been the case, as the team has been outscored by a 68-25 margin in Thomas Brown’s first two games as the interim head coach.

Lions’ Defense Looks To Overcome Recent Struggles

On the other side of this matchup, the Lions enter this divisional tilt on the heels of a 48-42 loss against the Buffalo Bills in  Week 15. From an offensive standpoint, Detroit looked like a well-oiled machine in the passing game. Jared Goff threw for 494 yards and matched a career-high with five touchdowns. He also completed four or more passes to five different receivers. Amon-Ra St. Brown nabbed 14 balls for 193 yards and one touchdown, while Sam LaPorta had seven receptions totaling 111 yards.

However, the Lions’ banged-up defense could not keep pace with Buffalo’s offense, as this unit surrendered 559 yards, including 197 yards on the ground. Before their 34-31 victory over the Green Bay Packers in Week 14, Detroit’s defense had not given up 30 points in any game this season.  However, they have allowed an average of 39.5 points per contest in their last two games. Fortunately, this injury-depleted unit will face a Chicago team ranked last in total yards and 31st in passing yards per game. In other words, the Lions will be just fine.

Now that we have set the stage for this NFC North showdown, let’s examine the betting trends for both teams.

Hey, make sure you check out our picks on the GW Daily Picks page.

Bears vs. Lions Spread Analysis

On the heels of their eighth straight loss, the Bears come into this contest as a 6.5-point underdog (via OddsShark.com). Let’s see how both teams have fared against the spread.

• The Bears are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 games.
• Chicago has covered the spread four times in their previous six home matchups against Detroit.
• Meanwhile, the Lions are 14-6 ATS in their last 20 outings.
• In its previous 20 games against NFC North opponents, Detroit is 15-5 against the spread.

Prediction: Detroit Lions (-6.5)

Bears vs. Lions Over/Under Prediction

The projected scoring total for this matchup opened at 46.5 points, but the line has moved to 47.5 points (via OddsShark.com). Here are a few trends that suggest why going with the “under” is the smart choice.

• The total has gone UNDER six times in the Bears’ last eight games.
• The UNDER total boasts a 5-2 record in Chicago’s previous seven matchups against Detroit.
• In the Lions’ last 12 road contests against Chicago, the UNDER total has prevailed eight times.

Prediction: UNDER 47.5 points

Bears vs. Lions Player Prop Bet

Coming off a performance in which he avoided throwing an interception for the eighth straight game, Caleb Williams is this week’s key player to watch for the home team. He currently has -115 odds of finishing with more than 221.5 passing yards and -115 odds of finishing with less than 221.5 yards (via DraftKings). Here’s how his numbers measure up to the projected yards total.

• During the season, Williams has averaged 209.8 yards per outing.
• Williams has faced NFC teams nine times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 217.9 yards per outing.
• Chicago has played seven home games this season. In those contests, Williams averages 210.1 yards per outing.
• Over his last five starts, Williams has averaged 230.4 yards per contest, exceeding the yards total for this matchup three times during that stretch.

Prediction: Caleb Williams UNDER 221.5 passing yards