The 7-8 Atlanta Falcons visit Chicago on Sunday to take on the red-hot Bears in what will surely be one of the lesser-viewed games on the Week 17 NFL Betting Slate.
While the Falcons can keep their playoff hopes alive with a victory on the road, they’ll have to do it with Taylor Heinicke at the helm once again. Head Coach Arthur Smith will lead them north in hopes of bucking a poor away trend in order to save their season.
The Bears continue to get great production out of Justin Fields each week as the 24-year-old looks to prove once again that he’s the long-term answer at QB for Chicago. An improved defense alongside Fields will look to earn its fifth straight home win.
Falcons vs Bears Odds
NFL odds used for this Atlanta vs Chicago preview were found at DraftKings Sportsbook and are current as of Dec. 28 at 12:00 pm ET.
- Moneyline: Bears (-155) • Falcons (+130)
- Spread: Bears -3 (-108) • Falcons +3 (-112)
- Total Points: Over 38 (-108) • Under 38 (-112)
- Implied Score: Bears 20.5, Falcons 17.5
Falcons vs Bears Predictions
Score Pick: Bears 23, Falcons 20
An improved pass rush, a more dynamic offensive approach, and some key plays down the stretch of recent games have completely resurrected this Bears team. That trend should continue versus a very inconsistent Falcons squad struggling to find its identity.
While Heinicke is capable of providing some passing balance to this Falcons ground-and-pound attack, he’ll have a tough time doing what many better QBs could not against this much-improved Chicago defense.
Fields’ ability to make big plays with his legs, a consistent running attack from Khalil Herbert, and reliability between DJ Moore and Cole Kmet will make the difference for Chicago at home. The Bears could all but end Smith’s tenure in Atlanta this weekend.
Falcons vs Bears Best Bets & Props
Over 37 (-129)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 2 units
The adjusted Over at 37 points is our NFL bet of the day, thanks to the aggressive, mobile style of play that these two quarterbacks present alongside a handful of dynamic running backs.
Heinicke, alongside Bijan Robinson should provide just enough production to get Atlanta to at least 17 points, which means 20 from the Bears gets us home. The pace might be slow, but both QBs and RBs are capable of chunk plays in decent weather.
Justin Fields Over 57.5 Rushing Yards (-115)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 unit
The floor of Fields’ rushing totals these days appears to be around 55, and we’ve all seen that he can gallop for 30 yards in the blink of an eye. Atlanta hasn’t really faced a QB with wheels like Fields all season.
With all of the question marks surrounding the Bears’ approach to this upcoming draft still swirling, I fully expect Fields to put his body on the line and do whatever it takes to win and play well. His legs are a big piece of that, so I’ll gladly take advantage of this number.
Bears Total 21-30 (+175)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 unit
With the pace of both offenses expected to be on the slower end, it would be wild to expect over 30 points from either team in this one, barring some defensive or special teams touchdowns.
With that in mind, there’s some great value on the Bears to find a way into the 20s with their score. They seem to have a rhythm on offense, there’s not much resistance from a Falcons defense on the road, and there’s finally some trust in their kicker of late.
I like putting a unit on the Bears to eclipse 20 points, and I would be shocked to see them get to the 30 mark in this one.
Falcons vs Bears Same Game Parlay
Falcons vs Bears SGP (-135)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1.35 units
- Bears +3.5 (-265)
- Over 30.5 (-336)
This one is simply a teaser on the Bears and the Over.
While I usually don’t love teasing a team through zero to go from a favorite to a short underdog, this is an exact situation in which it makes sense.
We have a low total in the game, we have two strong kickers, and we have a pace of play that should be a bit slower. The Falcons, when they do win, seem to do it by very tight margins.
So, we’re laying a little juice, but we’ve made a very conservative parlay here in which we’re asking for over 30.5 points and the Bears to either win or come up just short. You can win a unit by laying just over that much in what is a class teaser spot in my eyes.
