Detroit Lions vs Chicago Bears: This game had a lot more excitement to it prior to the Bears’ utter disappointment on Monday Night Football. Nevertheless, there’s still plenty of anticipation to see what Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson can do against his former team, the Detroit Lions.
While Chicago’s performance can be chalked up as the most disappointing of Week 1, Detroit isn’t far behind. The Lions dropped their opener to the Packers at Lambeau Field, 27-13. What adjustments can we expect from both teams in Week 2? Let’s explore that with my Detroit Lions vs Chicago Bears picks and predictions.
For additional information on picks, props, moneylines, and more on today’s slate, take a look at our NFL Picks Page or our NFL Odds Page.
You can also browse our recommendations for the best online sportsbooks available in the U.S.
Detroit Lions vs Chicago Bears NFL Betting Insights
Will Caleb Williams improve after a shaky Week 1 performance?
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
I could write a novel about the disgusting events and decisions that transpired during Monday Night Football, but I’ll try to narrow it down.
Obviously, Caleb Williams’ inaccuracy is a major issue and needs to be corrected. Equally concerning is kicker Cairo Santos, who is unreliable from 50+ yards and struggles to boot the ball out of the end zone.
Another red flag was Ben Johnson’s decision-making – not realizing his kicker couldn’t clear the end zone in a critical spot before the two-minute warning, and tossing a challenge flag on a fumble that most fans knew had no chance of being overturned.
I could go on forever, but the malpractice in Chicagoland spoke for itself. Twelve penalties for 127 yards, plus the embarrassment of letting a rookie quarterback mount a comeback after tossing a pick-six in his very first start on your field – that’s enough to make any Bears fan weep.
The good news for Chicago is the defense played fairly well despite missing several starters, and there’s clearly potential with this offense. With Johnson at the helm, it was always going to be a long process to find rhythm, and there will no doubt continue to be more learning curves throughout his first season as head coach.
As for his former team, it was immediately evident the Lions missed both Johnson and former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn after the Packers stormed to a 17-3 halftime lead. There was no creativity in the offensive play-calling and too many holes on defense.
On the bright side, Jared Goff completed 31 of 39 passes, but he managed only 225 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
In a bewildering stat line, Jahmyr Gibbs totaled just 19 rushing yards on nine carries, while David Montgomery added 25 yards on 11 attempts. Sonic and Knuckles can’t post those kinds of numbers against division opponents and expect to win.
The best news for Detroit is simple: a Week 2 date with the Bears. What better way to avenge a stinky season-opening loss than hosting the team with arguably the most embarrassing defeat of Week 1 – and a long, rich history of losing?
What to Bet:
The betting market opened this game with the Lions as 4.5-point favorites and a total of 48.5. Since then, the line has ticked up to -6.5 with the total dropping to 46.5.
Detroit could be facing just as many learning curves as Chicago, thanks to having to replace both coordinator spots entering the season. That’s likely to be a consistent problem, particularly on defense – especially against a former coach who’s a proven offensive mind and knows your personnel inside and out.
Chicago’s offensive schematics should only improve as the year goes on, and I believe they’ll do their share of scoring here. At the same time, whether or not the Bears’ defense is fully healthy, I expect the Lions’ offense to bounce back. Sonic and Knuckles aren’t going to put up another dud.
The Bears struggled mightily against the run last season – ranking 26th in Rush EPA per Play allowed and 21st in Rush Success Rate allowed – and those issues resurfaced Monday. Jordan Mason ripped off 68 yards on 15 carries (4.5 YPC), and even Aaron Jones carved them up through the air with three catches for 44 yards and a touchdown.
Gibbs and Montgomery should expose this Bears’ front seven, creating plenty of scoring opportunities for Detroit.
I like this game to go over the total of 47.
Still Didn’t Get Your NFL Fix?
Follow me on X @dannyburke5 for all my picks, analysis and plenty more. Also be sure to follow Betting News on ‘X’ and Twitch to catch us on stream! Betting News is also on TikTok! Follow us for more picks and news every day and check out our Free Expert Picks for every major sports league.
Get FREE Picks and Props Weekly
Sign up for
THE WEEKENDER NEWSLETTER