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Chicago Bears vs New Orleans Saints
Chicago stepped onto the field as -2.5-point underdogs and dominated the NFC South champion Atlanta Falcons in a 30-12 home win last week, while the Saints are coming off a tough 42-34 loss to the defending champion Green Bay Packers.
Now New Orleans will try to avoid its first 0-2 start for the first time since 2007 when they host the Bears on Sunday.
But it won’t s be easy as Chicago has won the past three meetings, including a 27-24 overtime win in the most recent contest between the teams back in 2008.
Venue/Stadium: Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, LA
Time/Date: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, September 18, 2011 on FOX
NFL Odds From: BetOnline.com
Moneyline: Chicago Bears +240, New Orleans Saints -290
Spread (ATS): Saints -7
Over/Under: 47
Mike Martz’s offense seemed to click for a Bears team that got no respect from fans, critics, and bettors last season, as QB Jay Cutler passed for 312 yards and two touchdowns while Matt Forte added 68 yards on 16 carries and hauled in five balls for 90 yards including a 56 yard score.
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On the downside the Bears defense gave up 386 yards against Atlanta, but somehow redeemed itself by forcing three turnovers, one of which linebacker Brian Urlacher returned for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, the Saints showed a ton of determination in their season opener against Green Bay, but in the end the result was still a loss and a lot of questions about the strength of the defense.
Despite the defense’s trouble slowing the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers’ early onslaught, Drew Brees and the New Orleans offense put up big numbers as usual, but couldn’t keep pace with the Packers.
Brees passed for 419 yards and three touchdowns, one of which was hauled in by Devery Henderson who had six catches for 100 yards.
The Saints also received a solid performance from running back Mark Ingram who added a second dimension to a Saints pass-first playbook.
Ingram will likely be expected to carry the load more than usual on Sunday as the Saints will be without wide receiver Marques Colston, who will miss at least a month after breaking his collarbone against Green Bay, and Lance Moore who could miss his second consecutive game with a groin injury.
Brees has won 13 of his past 18 home starts, but this one will be his biggest challenge.
The odds makers have the New Orleans Saints as a -7 point favorite with an over/under of 47.
Matt’s Prediction: Saints 35, Bears 27 -The Saints should bounce back here, but my concern is that the absence of Colston and Moore may be a bigger blow than expected. However, after the Bears defense was torched by the Falcons in Week 1, I think New Orleans finds a way to put enough points on the board to say ahead.
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Chicago Bears Betting Trends:
- Chicago is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games
- The total has gone OVER in 7 of Chicago’s last 9 games
- Chicago is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
- Chicago is 4-1-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
New Orleans Saints Betting Trends:
- New Orleans is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
- The total has gone OVER in 6 of New Orleans’s last 9 games
- New Orleans is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
- New Orleans is 14-7 SU in its last 21 games
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