Saturday 3:35 PM CT – Rams @ Packers
Aaron Rodgers to score a touchdown: +550
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There’s logic here.
The Packers are going to move the ball. They’re going to get the ball into the red zone. And then they’ll have two major issues when it comes to scoring: Aaron Donald disrupting the run game and Jalen Ramsey taking Davante Adams away. Rodgers’ improvisational skills will be on full display when he takes the ball over the goal line.
Saturday 7:15 PM CT – Ravens @ Bills
Total points even: +106
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Five of the the last eight Bills games have ended in even points. So if you’re getting plus odds on that bet, you have to take it. This game was looking like a low-scorer when the forecast called for a snow storm at kickoff but now that forecast has changed and it’s just going to be a typical, cold, blustery Buffalo evening.
Last week began with comparisons between the 2020 and 2018 Chicago Bears defenses. This week begins with us finding there is no comparison.
There are two simple truths about Monday night’s beat down:
One. The Bears couldn’t realistically expect to win by scoring just three offensive points.
Two. The Bears couldn’t realistically expect to win by allowing 24 points.
Only one offense this season has scored more than 24 points against the Rams. That came in a weird Week Three game as the then-red hot Buffalo Bills took a huge lead early. Since then, the Rams have allowed 10 or fewer points in three of four — Monday night included. (As you read that, keep in mind that the Bears haven’t held a single opponent to 10 or fewer points yet this season.)
To win on Monday night, the Bears needed the game to be a low-scoring slugfest. Their offense looked only slightly worse than we should’ve expected going against a top-five defense. The Bears defense, however, couldn’t get off the field in the first three quarters allowing drives that either resulted in scores or flipped the field, leaving the offense in an inopportune position. Five of the Bears first six drives began inside their own 20. For the game, they had eight drives start inside their own 20 and five inside the 10. Imagine how fun that is for Nick Foles when the team is asking Rashaad Coward to block Aaron Donald.
If you want to understand my thoughts on how the Bears should approach the Rams defense tonight, they are all illustrated in Kyle Shanahan’s masterful scheme from a week ago. Avoid the middle. Throw on early downs. Screen them to death.
We come to November,
we come to the cold.
And still we remember,
predictions too bold.
We all put our trust
in a fella called Mitch
But the QB’s a bust,
And the O’s in a ditch.
Yet Sunday proposes
a chance to get square.
Where Heston played Moses,
And Caan played a Bear.
December’s before us
With games left to play
The league won’t ignore us
if we win in L.A.
L.A. Story (1991) – My favorite L.A. film
I always like the Chicago Bears.
And I have nothing else to do on Sunday night. Do you?
There are good cheese puns and bad cheese puns. Between them, there’s a gruyerea.
— Michael McKean (@MJMcKean) November 7, 2019