With lots to figure out before the regular season starts, both the Bears and Colts played key starters in Week 1 of the preseason, a tactic not embraced by all NFL teams, but one appreciated by fans excited for football to return. Now that we’re a week closer to the regular season, let’s see how both teams handle their lineups for their preseason Week 2 matchup this Saturday in Indianapolis.
Bears vs Colts Odds
NFL odds used for this Chicago vs Indianapolis preview were found at FanDuel Sportsbook and are current as of Tuesday, Aug. 15, at 10 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Colts (-170) • Bears (+150)
- Spread: Colts -3.5 (-110) • Bears +3.5 (-110)
- Total Points: Over 40.5 (-110) • Under 40.5 (-110)
- Implied Score: Colts 22, Bears 18.5
Bears vs Colts Predictions
Score Pick: Bears 27, Colts 19
The Bears looked outstanding in their first preseason matchup of the season against the Titans. Starting quarterback Justin Fields made a somewhat-surprising, relatively brief appearance.
He lit up the scoreboard with 129 yards and two touchdown passes on 3-of-3 passing, but it’s worth noting that these yards were essentially all after the catch with the Bears finding great success on screen passes.
Still, the fact that they are testing out a new offensive scheme - to great effect - is promising for preseason betting prospects, as is the fact that Fields saw the field at all. Head Coach Matt Eberflus has stated that he has yet to decide on Fields’ playing time against Indy, implying that he stands at least some chance to see the field again.
Meanwhile, the Colts had a rough preseason opener, namely due to the debut performance by highly-drafted rookie QB Anthony Richardson. The Florida alum threw a pick on his first drive, and clearly has some work to do in terms of adjusting to pro football.
His struggles mean that in the short term, he’s going to see the field a lot in the preseason in pursuit of being ready for Week 1, for which he has already been named the starter, and those opportunities might involve some mistakes being made.
It’s worth noting that Indy’s other QBs, Gardner Minshew and Sam Ehlinger, combined for 14 completions on just 15 attempts, but Richardson is likely to be the team’s focus in Week 2, especially with the potential for coach Shane Steichen to rest starters in Week 3, which is now the last preseason game.
Bears vs Colts Best Bets & Props
Bears (+150)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 2 Units
My NFL bet of the day for this preseason matchup is undoubtedly the Bears on the moneyline, which is currently set at +150. No, winning in the preseason isn’t always determined by who is the better team, but in this instance, I see the Bears as having more reason to perform strongly.
They have a lot of new pieces to integrate, and we already saw willingness to use key starters like Fields, D.J. Moore, and Khalil Herbert in Week 1 against the Titans. With Week 2 as a potential dress rehearsal for opening day against the rival Packers, there’s reason to believe that the Bears’ best players could be on the field long enough to make an impact once more.
Winning Margin: Bears by 1-13 points (+200)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
This is just one more way to invest in the trends expressed for the previous two bets. Both teams should be putting forth an effort on offense, the Bears just have a better chance to find success by doing so.
Even if both teams play starters, the Colts might also leave in theirs for a longer period of time, which would allow them to keep things close even if the Bears do build up an early lead.
Over 40.5 (-110)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
I don’t feel quite as strongly about this one as I do about the moneyline, but I do think that both offenses are more likely to play starters and perform highly than the defenses. We’ve talked about Chicago’s willingness to field key players and use them, but Indy should also be doing the same.
Getting Richardson up to speed should be priority No. 1, and that means giving him the opportunity to build confidence with some successes, even if it’s just the preseason. Playing your starting QB also usually means playing your starting offensive line, so your signal caller makes it to Week 1 in good health, and a byproduct of this would also be an enhanced running game, almost regardless of who’s carrying the ball.
Bears vs Colts Same Game Parlay
No Same Game Parlays are available for this game, but this section will be updated if they become available.
