Bears Chargers Betting – Chargers Veterans Will Outlast Bears Depth
Well, it is officially football season. The San Diego Chargers and Chicago Bears are set to kick off the 2010 NFL season as the two teams face off on August 14th in San Diego. While the real fun does not begin for another month or so after this game, the first preseason game is important to both teams as they try to sort out the bottom of their depth charts and keep an eye on positional battles. While you can expect the starters to only see minimal action, the second team and reserves fighting for a roster spot are sure to make this a hard fought battle.
NFL Betting: Chicago Bears @ San Diego Chargers
Why To Bet On The Bears
Chicago has a lot to prove after a mediocre season. The fan base got excited with the addition of Jay Cutler, who was expected to make the Bears a Super Bowl contender, but that never transpired Although it is the preseason, I would look for the Bears to try and make an impact right away and get things started on the right foot. While Cutler, Forte, Hester, and the rest of the starters will play minimally, the Bears have college talent looking to make the roster, such as quarterback Dan LeFevour from Central Michigan and running back Harvey Unga out of BYU. Those two in particular are projected as possible third stringers and could see a lot of playing time in this one.
The Bears also have a few heated positional battles that will kick off right away, particularly at tight end, where Desmond Clark and Brandon Manmaleuma are going to be vying for the backup role to starter Greg Olsen. With these two slated to see a lot of time, it is key to have a safety valve for the young quarterbacks, which gives the Bears a veteran edge against San Diego’s second team.
Defensively, look for rookie safety Major Harris, as well as rookie LB Nick Roach to try and make an immediate impact an try to claim their stake spots in the starting lineup for the Bears right off the bat. Julius Peppers is the major addition to the Bears this offseason, though his services will be limited for the game, he can prove a difference maker for the series or two that the starters play.
This will be Mike Martz’ first chance to put his offense on display, so he’ll look to make a good impression.
Why To Bet on the Chargers
Much like the Bears, San Diego is coming off a disappointment to their season, albeit in a different manner. The Chargers earned a first round bye in the playoffs, but were upset by the sixth-seeded New York Jets, a game where the offense could not make waves against a swarming defense. The Chargers made some changes in the offseason, most notably losing LaDanian Tomlinson, the team’s leading rusher.
They brought in Ryan Mathews of Fresno State as their first-round draft pick to fill the void. Mathews is a key reason why San Diego could take this game. He’s expected to get a lot of preseason reps in preparation for a time-share with Darren Sproles to start the regular season. Mathews was the NCAA’s leading rusher last season, and should be able to wreak havoc against the Bears second team defense. While Mathews may be fine with a time share in his rookie season, you can rest assured that he will be doing his all to see the bulk of the carries.
With the impending holdout of wideout Vincent Jackson, the core of wide receivers on the team could see more action as usual, as the Chargers coaching staff wants to take as much time to find out who will be able to fill what role. Even without Jackson, the team is a talented bunch with Legedu Naanee, Malcolm Floyd and Buster Davis trying to figure out who is going to be fitting where, in Jackson’s offense. That could spell trouble for the Bears in this game, if the aforementioned players see more of the field than normal.
How the Game Will Play Out
Though there is reason for optimism in Chicago this season, the Chargers are simply a deeper, more experienced team. While I do expect Chicago’s youngsters to perform well, the disparities between the teams on the back end, with San Diego having more questions on their starting rosters, as well as a veteran backup quarterback in Billy Volek, compared to a untested LeFevour gives the Chargers the advantage in this one. The Bears may have the goods to compete with San Diego’s first team, but that will only last for a bit, and the Chargers depth is going to be too much to handle.
