Showing their true face
The Chicago Bears got exposed last week. We could even say, as expected. Before the Rams game, they had a 5-1 record with only +12 point differential. Meaning that they won many close games and usually in the league like the NFL, that is not a sustainable way to win in the long run. It was expected that those will even out in the long run and that they will lose some games, especially against some of the better teams like the Rams.
Their offensive performance was quite worrisome. The OL is not playing that well. David Motgomery is not getting a lot of help from run blocking, while Nick Foles is under pressure too often. He is throwing off balance way too often, resulting in many dangerous throws that are being intercepted. His accuracy is also pretty bad so far this year. He is missing wide open receivers, especially when going downfield. One of the best rookie receivers in the league, Darnell Mooney got wide open for a 94-yard catch and run vs Jalen Ramsey, but Foles missed him badly.
True contender
New Orleans won some close ones as well lately. They won three in a row, to improve to 4-2, but neither of those three wins was by more than 6 points. They do have some valid excuses for underperforming. They missed many important players on offense in the past few weeks. Michael Thomas was definitely the most notable name out of the bunch. His 8-10 catches were difficult to reproduce by the rest of the wide receivers. Especially in this type of offense, where his ability to provide a sure pair of hands in traffic for short to intermediate completions is very important.
Defensively, it's difficult to explain this dropoff, compared to last few seasons. They haven't lost any important players. The coaching staff and the scheme is the same. But for some reasons, one of the best defenses from last year (especially against the run) got very leaky this year. It will be important to find their groove soon, because they have some real competition inside the division. Tampa Bay Buccaneers are playing some very good football and will be a legit contender to win the NFC South.
Bears vs Saints betting tips
There's a narrative that Drew Brees is someone to fade when playing on the road, especially in colder environments, where he's not as comfortable as inside the Superdome. But I think that one is a bit dated. These Saints are running the ball a lot and are suited for cold weather football just fine. I think that Bears are simply not that good at the moment. They will once again struggle to hit some big plays downfield. And when you're not a threat to get explosive plays, defense can come down and play the run and the short passing game more efficiently. I believe that is going to happen here and Saints will get a comfortable win.
Also, don't forget to check out our new feature for comparing outright odds. These two opponents are both part of the NFC conference. Odds for winning it can be found with this link: https://theplayer.com/odds/american-football/usa/nfl/nfl-nfc-conference-winner
