Chiefs Bears Betting – Bears Need To Yield Lesson From Struggling Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs have lost four straight games to fall out of contention in the AFC West, a division that they once led when quarterback Matt Cassel wasn’t injured. The Chicago Bears can use the Chiefs’ struggles as a warning of what happens when your starting quarterback goes down, and institute a game plan that will better compensate for the loss of franchise quarterback Jay Cutler after their five-game win streak came to an end in their first sports betting game with Caleb Hanie under center.
Kansas City Chiefs @ Chicago Bears
Sunday December 4, 2011 – 1:00 PM ET
Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
NFL Betting Pick: Chicago Bears – 7.5
The Bears are major favorites for this game, and if they are going to live up to that billing they will need their defense to step up and suffocate Tyler Palko and the Chiefs’ offense while moving the ball a ton on the ground. Hanie did throw for 254 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s loss to the Oakland Raiders, but that is hardly enough to compensate for his three interceptions.
Chiefs Bears Betting Preview: Kansas City Chiefs
That is still more than the Chiefs have managed to get from Palko this season, as he has thrown for just 444 yards without a single score. With opposing defenses not afraid to stuff the box, the running back tandem of Jackie Battle and Dexter McCluster hasn’t been nearly as effective, and Kansas City has failed to reach double-digits in three of their past four. That number shouldn’t improve much against one of the tougher defenses they will have faced, as the Bears rank eighth against the run this online wagering season.
Chiefs Bears Betting Preview: Chicago Bears
Chicago won’t be overly worried about the fact that they have struggled against the pass with Palko under center for the Chiefs, but stopping the run will be a key. Hanie made progress in his first start since Cutler went down, but that doesn’t mean that head coach Lovie Smith wouldn’t prefer to run the ball a ton and avoid risking the turnovers that cost the Bears in their loss to the Raiders. Chicago will wrap up their season with three of their final five on the road including a trip to face the undefeated Green Bay Packers, which makes this home date that much more crucial. Running back Matt Forte has been up to the challenge all season with an average of five yards per carry, and won’t back down in this game.
Chiefs Bears Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick
The Chiefs will be in tough to move the ball at all against a talented Chicago defense, and as long as the tandem of Forte and Marion Barber can continue to pound the rock and help open things up for Hanie to complete a pass once in a while the Bears should be fine. Thanks to the Detroit Lions struggling the door is still wide open for Chicago to push for a playoff spot, but these are the games that they simply need to have if they are going to reach that goal.
Chiefs Bears Betting Pick: Chicago Bears
