Betting Matchup Preview
Game Details
- Who: Chicago Bears at New York Giants
- When: Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022
- Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
- Where: MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ)
Betting Odds Summary
- Moneyline: Bears +125, Giants -145
- Point Spread: Bears +2.5 (-105), Giants -2.5 (-115)
- Total: Over/Under 39.5 (-115/-105)
Note: Odds and lines are current from DraftKings Sportsbook at the time of writing and subject to change.
The theme of this Week 4 matchup is “how are both of these teams 2-1?”
The Chicago Bears edged the Houston Texans—arguably one of the league’s worst teams—with a last-minute game-winning field goal in Week 3. A win’s a win, but this Chicago team leaves a lot to be desired, and that’s coming from a lifelong fan.
Meanwhile, the New York Giants are coming off their first loss of the season after falling to the Dallas Cowboys, 23-16, on Monday Night Football. It’s probably not a good sign when you can’t beat Cooper Rush, who’s replacing the injured Dak Prescott.
Accordingly, each team is still out to prove itself. A winning record doesn’t mean much this early in the regular season, as the vast majority of teams are either 2-1 or 1-2. A 3-1 start is notable, though, and that’s where either New York or Chicago will stand after this game (barring a tie, of course).
Either way, this should be an exciting matchup at MetLife stadium.
Spread, Moneyline, Total: Bears Vs. Giants
With how close this game is on the spread and moneyline, we’re going to lean into the total instead.
Both of these offenses have been low-scoring thus far, with New York averaging 18.7 points per game and Chicago averaging 17.3. Neither team has had a breakout scoring week, as each has topped 20 points just once and neither has exceeded 23. We expect that trend to continue this week, especially considering the injuries on both sides.
Wide receiver Sterling Shepard is out for the season after suffering a torn ACL during Week 3, so expect Saquon Barkley and the Giants’ rushing corps to carry most of the load on offense.
Meanwhile, the Bears are down a wideout in Byron Pringle and may be without top running back David Montgomery as well, who is questionable with an ankle injury. At least Chicago still has Khalil Herbert to rely on after the running back scored both of their touchdowns in Week 3.
Both defenses have played well thus far, ranking 11th (Bears) and 12th (Giants) for fewest points allowed. As such, we expect this game to be low-scoring and go under the projected total of 39.5.
Player Prop Bets: Bears Vs. Giants
We typically like to spice things up with a TD scorer prop, but that’s hard to recommend this week in a game where points could be at a premium. Instead, let’s turn to DraftKings’ pass/rush props.
- Saquon Barkley Over 79.5 Rushing Yards (-115)
Barkley ran the ball 14 times for 81 yards last week, averaging 5.8 yards per carry despite Shepard still being a factor. He’s averaging 105.7 rushing yards per game this year and has notched at least 72 in every game, so look to him as New York’s most reliable rushing threat. Without Shepard, Barkley should be even more of a focal point for the Giants’ offense this week.
- Darnell Mooney Over 35.5 Receiving Yards (-115)
Here’s our spicier (but still reasonable) pick of the week. With Pringle out for at least four games, someone will need to pick up the slack in Chicago’s receiving corps. Mooney is the most likely candidate to do so and eat up some of those targets. He saw a season-high six targets in Week 3 and could see more looks in Week 4, making his receiving prop a reasonable bet.
Our Same-Game Parlay: Bears vs. Giants
Given how difficult this game is to predict, we’re going with a relatively conservative same-game parlay that has +160 odds.
- New York Giants Moneyline (-155)
- Cole Kmet 20+ Receiving Yards (-140)
The Giants are the slight favorite at sportsbooks this week. Not only are they at home, but they also have more offensive weapons and a more experienced quarterback despite losing Shepard. If Barkley breaks out for a big game against the Bears’ defense, he could win this game by himself.
Tight end Cole Kmet finally got involved in Chicago’s passing game last week, snagging two receptions for 40 yards. With Pringle out, making Kmet and Mooney will be the top targets for Justin Fields. Kmet’s butterfingers can be an issue, so 20+ yards is the cautious play here. One solid deep pass could check that box.
With odds of +160, a $100 bet on this same-game parlay would pay out $160 in profits plus your original $100 stake.
