Betting Matchup Preview
Game Details
- Who: Houston Texans at Chicago Bears
- When: Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022
- Time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Where: Soldier Field (Chicago, Illinois)
Betting Odds Summary
- Moneyline: Texans +122, Bears -144
- Point Spread: Texans +2.5 (-106), Bears -2.5 (-114)
- Total: Over/Under 39.5 (-106/-114)
Note: Odds and lines are current from FanDuel Sportsbook at the time of writing and subject to change.
Week 3 brings a matchup between the ongoing-identity-crisis Chicago Bears and the floundering Houston Texans. Chances are this mid-day game isn’t at the top of anyone’s list given the recent poor performance of both teams.
Still, there’s plenty of betting fodder in this Houston-Chicago meetup. Neither team seems to have formed a cohesive identity yet, and it’ll be fun to watch things play out. Sportsbooks expect this to be close, as the spread doesn’t even account for a field goal and the 1-1 Bears are (very) slight favorites over the 0-1-1 Texans.
Houston played the Indianapolis Colts to a draw in Week 1 before losing by a touchdown in Denver last week. The defense has given up the second-most yards (867) in the NFL but the ninth-fewest points (36), taking the “bend-don’t-break” approach to the extreme. The offense has been a mess, however, scoring just 29 points (seventh-fewest) and recording only 533 total yards of offense (third-fewest).
Chicago surprised the San Francisco 49ers at home during a semi-monsoon in Week 1, only to get demolished by the Green Bay Packers in Week 2. Generating offense has been a major problem for the Bears as well, as they’ve also managed just 29 points thus far and rank dead last in total yards (432).
The Texans will try to earn their first win of the season while the Bears attempt to bounce back from their embarrassing beatdown on Sunday Night Football. This matchup should prove interesting.
Spread, Moneyline, Total: Bears -2.5 (-114)
As mentioned above, FanDuel’s point spread is less than a field goal, so this is expected to be a close game. We think Chicago will cover the 2.5 points at home, especially since there’s slightly more value betting on the spread (-114) than on the moneyline (-144).
After a rough Week 2, the Bears will seek to dominate the Texans at home. Despite a lackluster performance this past Sunday, Chicago has shown some promise on offense. Tight passes and smart rushing plays will be the name of the game, potentially bringing the Bears a much-needed win. Head coach Matt Eberflus and his regime have displayed some strategic playcalling this season. With the right calls, Chicago could march to an easy win over Houston this Sunday.
Player Prop Bets: Texans Vs. Bears
- Justin Fields To Score A Touchdown (+170)
Fields is quick on his feet, as evidenced by his Week 2 rushing touchdown against the Packers—the only touchdown Chicago managed against Green Bay, mind you. In the red zone, Fields is always a threat to exit the pocket and sneak off into the end zone, and we think this week’s matchup makes him a reasonable bet to score.
If you’re looking to spice things up, you might instead opt for this prop bet:
- Anytime 1st Half TD Scorer: Justin Fields (+370)
It’s a riskier bet, but Fields has the speed to make it happen again. Last week the Bears marched down the field on their first drive against a superior opponent. The Texans shouldn’t be a problem if Fields and co. move the ball quickly.
Our Same-Game Parlay
Every week, we select a same-game parlay for bettors who wish to combine a few bets into one.
For the Bears-Texans matchup, it’s a tad challenging to find a solid SGP. The storyline is simple with two teams trying to prove themselves. One reasonable option is this combination:
- Chicago Bears Moneyline (-144)
- David Montgomery To Score A Touchdown (+100)
These bets combine for odds of +195, meaning a $100 bet would pay $195 plus your original stake. It’s a reasonable parlay because it’s hard to pin down what to expect from Sunday’s game. The totals seem a touch risky, as this game could be a shootout or a stifled crawl to a few measly scoring plays.
We’ve accounted for that uncertainty here. The Bears are the slight favorite over the Texans, and the home-field edge should help them wrangle a few touchdowns and ultimately prevail. Montgomery is a good bet to find the end zone for the first time this season after racking up 122 yards on the ground last week.
