Opening Line in Saints vs Bears Week 8 Matchup Favors New Orleans by 2.5
By Chris Amberley in NFL Football
Published:
- The New Orleans Saints (4-2) visit the Chicago Bears (5-2) in Week 8 (Nov. 1, 4:25 pm EST)
- New Orleans opened up as a 2.5-point road favorite
- Read below for analysis on which way the line will move ahead of kickoff
You could argue that the New Orleans Saints are one of the weakest 4-2 teams in the NFC. New Orleans has beaten just one team with a winning record, and have a measly +6 point differential. That’s lower than every other NFC team with at least four wins, and 74 points less than division rival Tampa Bay.
The Saints latest victory, 27-24 over the Carolina Panthers, extended their winning streak to three-games, and they’ll look to extend that mark in Week 8 against the Chicago Bears (Nov. 1, 4:25 pm EST).
Saints vs Bears Opening Odds
Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
---|---|---|---|
New Orleans Saints | -2.5 (-128) | -158 | OTB |
Chicago Bears | +2.5 (+104) | +134 | OTB |
Odds taken Oct. 26th at FanDuel.
New Orleans opened up as a 2.5-point favorite over Chicago, with the juice heavily shaded towards the Saints’ side. The Bears meanwhile, were smashed by the Los Angeles Rams 24-10 on Monday Night Football.
New Orleans Marches On
The most impressive thing about New Orleans’ 4-2 record, has been their ability to overcome injuries to key skill position players. Reigning receiving king Michael Thomas hasn’t played since Week 1, and on Sunday they were also without Emmanuel Sanders due to a positive COVID-19 test.
And if you don't know Marquez Callaway … now you know. 💪
⚜ 8 Catches
⚜ 75 Yards
⚜ 4 First DownsNot bad for an undrafted rookie. 😎 pic.twitter.com/0kedDg9ma0
— SaintsNOW (@SaintsNOW) October 25, 2020
In their absences, rookie Marquez Callaway stepped up to pace the Saints passing attack versus the Panthers. He hauled in 8 catches, for 75 yards on a team-high 10 targets. Looking like a young Marques Coltson, and wearing the same number to boot, Callaway converted four first down and gave the Carolina secondary fits all game.
Alvin Kamara chipped in 85 yards on the ground and another 63 through the air, crossing 100-yards from scrimmage for the fifth straight week. He also became just the fourth running back since 1950 with at least 450 receiving yards through his team’s first six games.
Alvin Kamara:
⚜️ 91.6 PFF REC Grade (1st)
⚜️ 343 rec. yards after the catch (1st)
⚜️ 144 rec. yards after contact (1st) pic.twitter.com/uFinqOEHQM— PFF (@PFF) October 24, 2020
Sanders won’t be eligible to return until after Week 8, while Thomas’ status is unknown. Until they return, opposing teams should expect a heavy dose of Kamara and now potentially Callaway as well.
Bears Go Down
Chicago entered play in Week 7 with the 26th ranked offense by DVOA, and that ranking now seems generous given their most recent performance. The Bears racked up just 14 first downs and 279 yards of offense, while their lone touchdown came from their defense.
Quinn forces the fumble, @BoJack39 brings it 🏠!
👀 live: https://t.co/Ke0ZdVcbUV#CHIvsLAR | #DaBears pic.twitter.com/scsq8POLvI
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) October 27, 2020
Nick Foles threw for only 261 yards, was picked off twice and took four sacks. He’s now thrown five interceptions in his last four games, and has as many INT’s and TD passes this season.
Jalen Ramsey calls GAME 😤pic.twitter.com/kXBF1VASOL
— PFF (@PFF) October 27, 2020
David Montgomery meanwhile, was held to 48 yards on the ground and is averaging a measly 3.7 yards per carry.
This type of performance probably shouldn’t come as a surprise as the Chicago has failed to exceed 23 points in four straight games.
Line Heading in Saints’ Favor
With the juice already shaded so heavily towards New Orleans, it’s only a matter of time before this number reaches 3. At that point, there’s not much reason to believe there will be a buy back on Chicago given how they looked in Week 7, however things could change if it reaches 3.5.
If you want to get on the Saints do so quickly. You won’t see a better price all week.
Sports Writer
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.