The Caleb Williams era begins in Chicago on Sunday, Sept. 8, when the Bears welcome the Tennessee Titans to Soldier Field.
The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft has breathed new life into the franchise, giving Bears fans hope of a first winning season since 2018.
As we prepare for Williams’ highly anticipated debut, let’s dig into the latest Titans vs Bears odds and make our best bets for this Week 1 interconference clash.
Titans vs Bears Odds
NFL odds are current as of Thursday, Sept. 5, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Moneyline: Titans (+154) vs Bears (-185)
- Spread: Titans +3.5 (-110) vs Bears -3.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: Over 44.5 (-112) / Under 44.5 (-108)
Titans vs Bears Prediction
Bears 23, Titans 17
The Bears appear to have learned from their mistakes with Justin Fields, who never seemed to have dynamic playmakers around him, especially at wide receiver.
Williams won’t have that excuse if he doesn’t deliver, as Chicago used a top-10 pick on Rome Odunze and brought in veteran Keenan Allen to complement D.J. Moore and tight end Cole Kmet.
Those upgrades should significantly boost the Bears’ passing attack, which averaged 182.1 yards per game last season, the sixth-fewest in the NFL.
One of the teams behind Chicago in that category was Tennessee (180.4), who handed the ball to rookie Will Levis for the second half of the season.
Levis showed flashes of brilliance in a debut win over Atlanta, throwing four touchdown passes, but he managed just four more the rest of the season.
Tennessee brought in veteran wideouts Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd to take some attention off DeAndre Hopkins, and fellow newcomer Tony Pollard will be charged with taking over backfield responsibilities from long-time workhorse Derrick Henry.
There is potential for improvement, but I ultimately don’t trust Levis to get the job done, especially on the road against a solid Bears defense.
Sportsbook Play of the Day
Titans vs Bears Best Bets
Under 44.5 Points (-108)
Chicago’s defense was dominant down the stretch of last season, allowing fewer than 21 points in its final six games. All-Pro CB Jaylon Johnson is a stud, the linebacker group has quality depth, and the early returns on the Montez Sweat trade have been great.
The Titans don’t have the same talent on all three levels, but Tennessee significantly upgraded its secondary this offseason, bringing in Super Bowl champion L’Jarius Sneed, Chidobe Awuzie, and Quandre Diggs.
Both units should have success against offenses that are integrating a lot of new pieces. Plus, these two quarterbacks don’t have much NFL experience, so I’m backing the Under as one of my best NFL bets today.
Bears -3.5 (-110)
Maybe I’m buying the Hard Knocks hype, but laying the points with the Bears at home feels like the right decision.
Chicago’s defense has a continuity advantage with head coach Matt Eberflus calling the plays, while Tennessee has a new head coach and two new coordinators.
I also think Williams has a higher ceiling than Levis, who doesn’t have the same ability to extend plays with his legs and make throws on the run. Give me the No. 1 pick to cover the spread in a debut win.
