Bettors Fading Trubisky and the Bears in Week 8 vs Chargers; Spread Down to Chicago -4
- Has the betting public lost faith in Chicago quarterback Mitchell Trubisky?
- Bettors are fading the Bears in the line for Sunday’s game against the LA Chargers
- Chicago opened as 5.5-point favorites but are now just the -4 chalk
Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky might be wise to heed the advice of Hall of Fame pitcher Satchel Paige.
Paige once famously noted not to look back, because something might be gaining on you. In the case of Trubisky and the Bears, that something is the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Bears opened as 5.5-point favorites over the Chargers in Sunday’s game at Soldier Field (1:00 PM ET). As of Thursday, the line has shrunk to the Bears -4.
Los Angeles Chargers vs Chicago Bears Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Over/Under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Chargers | +175 | +4 (-115) | Over 41.0 (-105) |
| Chicago Bears | -210 | -4 (-105) | Under 41.0 (-115) |
Odds taken Oct. 24.
Trubisky returned to action in last week’s 36-25 loss to the New Orleans Saints after missing one game due to a shoulder injury.
Trubisky A Swing And Mitch?
It’s a good thing that the Bears traded up from third to second overall in the 2017 NFL Draft to get Trubisky. Otherwise, they might’ve been stuck with a stiff at QB like Deshaun Watson or Patrick Mahomes.
Trubisky’s warts, once chalked up to inexperience, are beginning to look more like a permanent condition. His downfield passes are 50-50 propositions. He suffers from happy feet, a crippling ailment to QBs; rather than plant and throw, he scrambles too quickly and ends up throwing off balance.
If MVP Mitch was a prize fight they would stop it. At what point to the Bears admit what we all know????
— Michael Lombardi (@mlombardiNFL) October 20, 2019
Trubisky ranks 29th among NFL QBs in passing yardage (839) and touchdowns passes (five). He’s 35th overall in yards per game (167.8) and 43rd in passer rating (82.8).
By comparison, Chase Daniel, who got the start in Chicago’s Week 6 loss to the Oakland Raiders, has a 95.6 passer rating. He’s averaging 213 yards per game through the air.
Kid got interviewed over the PA during intermission.
"Who's your favorite Blackhawk?"
Kid: "Jonathan Toews. Because he's the captain and he's good."
"What are you going to be for Halloween?
Kid: "A football player."
"Which player?"
Kid: "Mitch Trubisky."
Crowd: "BOOOOOOOO"
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) October 23, 2019
The Bears, no longer able to ignore the reality that Trubisky is regressing, are simplifying the gameplan in order to give him at least some hope to succeed.
The Chicago coaches want the ball out of Trubisky’s hands as quickly as possible, before he has time to consider other options. Because of that, his receiver’s patterns are limited to curls, slants and shallow crosses.
Chargers Can Fix What Ails You
The Chargers are bad. Not Dolphins or Bengals-level bad, but bad nonetheless.
The 49ers (6-0) are the only team so far this season to already surpass its 2018 win total (4).
The Chargers (2-5) are the only team so far this season to already surpass its 2018 loss total (4).
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) October 21, 2019
Defensively, they can’t stop the pass. They are 28th in opponent passer rating at 108.5. They’re also 29th in average yards per attempt, allowing 8.7. That’s 3.5 yards better than Trubisky’s 5.2 yards-per-attempt pace this season.
The Chargers also allow 117 yards per game on the ground, so the Bears will have options at their disposal to move the ball.
More bad injury news for the #Chargers in a season full of it: G Forrest Lamp suffered a broken ankle and is out for the season, source said. Another hit to their O-line.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 21, 2019
Offensively, running back Melvin Gordon, who missed training camp in a contract holdout, has carried the ball 36 times for 81 yards. He’s still seeking his first touchdown of the season.
It’ll Be A Close Finish
Other than their 30-10 drubbing of Miami, every other Chargers game this season was decided by a TD or less.
Neither of these teams has been good against the spread. The Bears are 2-4 this season, while the Chargers are 1-4-2. LA’s one cover was against the woeful, winless Dolphins, the free spot on the NFL schedule.
My preview of next week's Chargers vs. Bears game. pic.twitter.com/K6PsZ8baTR
— Adam Rank (@adamrank) October 20, 2019
Chicago hasn’t accumulated 300 yards of offense in a game all season long. The Chargers have lost five of six straight up.
The Bears will win this game – the Chargers haven’t won a game at Chicago since 1970 – but even at four points, the spread is too high for the Bears to cover. Take the points and bet the Chargers ATS.
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
