The Tennessee Titans and Chicago Bears kick off their preseason schedules Saturday in a Soldier Field matchup at 1 p.m. ET (NFL Network). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Titans vs. Bears odds, and make our expert NFL picks and predictions.
Tennessee’s biggest offseason move was the signing of star WR DeAndre Hopkins, who will be a key addition to a barren receiving core. I expect the Titans to continue to be a team known for their phenomenal defense and star RB Derrick Henry, but Hopkins will add something on the offensive side of the ball that the Titans didn’t have last season.
Expect to see a lot of new faces on offense in this preseason game as Tennessee spent its entire draft focusing on offensive talent, headlined by 11th overall pick OL Peter Skoronski (Northwestern) and 2nd-round QB selection Will Levis (Kentucky).
Chicago’s almost complete offensive line overhaul and the big addition of star WR D.J. Moore from Carolina led to a busy offseason for the Bears. They ranked last in passing yards per game last season (130.5 YPG). With the new offensive additions, they look to change this season.
Chicago became known for its rushing ability last season, particularly that of QB Justin Fields. After ranking 1st in rushing YPG (177.3) a season ago, expect that aspect of the offense to take a bit of a hit as the team looks to focus more on passing. The Bears defense was bottom 5 in the league in terms of total yards allowed per game — 375.9 YPG to rank 29th — which is a huge concern heading into this season, especially in a very talented NFC North.
Titans at Bears odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 4:51 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Titans +140 (bet $100 to win $140) | Bears -165 (bet $165 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Titans +3.5 (-110) | Bears -3.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 37.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Titans at Bears picks and predictions
Prediction
Bears 17, Titans 14
Moneyline
LEAN BEARS (-165).
I like the Bears to win here with their improved offense and home-field advantage. I like the advances the Bears made this offseason over those of the Titans, but at -165, the line is slightly risky. If you feel very confident in the Bears, you can place a small wager on them here.
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Against the spread
BET TITANS +3.5 (-110).
With Hopkins, the Tians should have more offensive firepower and versatility than in recent years, and I trust their defense to keep them in this game.
While I like the Bears offensive additions, I still don’t trust Chicago to generate a lot of offense.
Look for the TITANS +3.5 (-110) to at least make this come down to a field-goal finish.
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Over/Under
BET UNDER 37.5 (-110).
Even with the offensive improvements, I don’t trust the Titans to generate a lot of offense in this game, but I do trust their defense to get stops on the Bears.
The Chicago defense is questionable and so is its offense, especially with their recent injuries to the WR corps and interior OL.
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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