The Chicago Bears anticipated a rapid improvement with the hiring of former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as head coach, tasked with developing No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. However, after a poor performance in Week 1 against the Vikings followed by a severe defeat (52-21) versus the Lions, they find themselves facing the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3.
Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 PM ET at Soldier Field in Chicago, with the Cowboys currently favored by 1.5 points according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The predicted total for points scored sits at 50.5, with Chicago projected to score 24.5 points and Dallas 25.5 points.
Prior to making any wagers on this game, it’s advisable to consult the predictions generated by the SportsLine Projection Model, which has accurately simulated every NFL matchup 10,000 times and reports over $7,000 in profits for $100 players since inception.
Odds Summary:
- Bears vs. Cowboys Spread: Cowboys -1.5
- Total Points (Over/Under): 50.5
- Moneyline: Dallas -115, Chicago -105
Model’s Best Bets:
- Cowboys -1.5
- Over 50.5 points
The Bears’ defense, which showed potential in Week 1, faltered considerably recently, affecting optimism surrounding Caleb Williams’ performance. Meanwhile, with key players sidelined, including Jaylon Johnson due to injury, the Bears’ secondary is expected to struggle against potent Cowboy receivers like CeeDee Lamb. The model expects Dallas to cover the spread in 61% of its simulations.
The offensive performance for both teams has been below par, with last week seeing them concede over 500 yards each and combine for 89 points. Given both defenses have lost their top players early in the season, scoring is projected to be high, averaging a score of 28-24 according to the model, which tends to lean towards the Over on totals.
