Lions Bears Spread at Chicago -3 for Week 10 Game
The Lions Bears spread was set at Chicago -3 for Week 10 of the 2011 season. You can bet this game at Sportsbook.com here.
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Chicago -3 (even) & 45
Opening Line & Total: Bears -3 (+105) & 45
Detroit is feeling confident with six wins in its first eight games, but Sunday will be no picnic traveling to Soldier Field to face the red-hot Bears, winners of three straight.
The Lions manhandled the Bears in Detroit last month, overwhelming Chicago’s offensive line and scoring two 70-plus yard touchdowns in a 24-13 win. The Chicago secondary has struggled this season, but the Bears are tough to burn on the slow Soldier Field track. However, Detroit has been burning most opponents on their home field, going 4-0 SU with 33.0 PPG away from home this year, and posting an 8-2-2 ATS mark on the road since the start of last year. Another possible edge for the Lions: Detroit is coming off a bye, while the Bears have a short week to prepare after playing Monday night.
In the Oct. 10 meeting, Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson connected on a 73-yard touchdown, while RB Jahvid Best bolted for an 88-yard TD run. Stafford (19 TD, 4 INT) and Johnson (NFL-best 11 receiving TD) will continue to make plays, but Best probably will not be in uniform as he continues to recover from concussion symptoms. Johnson has 100.5 receiving yards per game this year, good for third in the league and is currently riding a four-game streak of triple-digit yardage. Stafford is fourth in the NFL in QB rating (99.1) and was 19-of-26 for 219 yards and 2 TD in the October meeting with Chicago. With Best out, the Lions will look to Maurice Morris to handle most of the rushing workload. In the past two weeks, Morris has a solid 108 yards on 22 carries (4.9 YPC).
Detroit has done a fine job with its pass defense (194 YPG, sixth in NFL), and has tallied 18 takeaways this season. But the team has surrendered 138 rushing YPG (fifth-worst in league). Middle-of-the-field-clogging DT Nick Fairley (foot) is questionable for Sunday’s game, and this doesn’t bode well going up against the Bears dynamic rusher, Matt Forte.
Forte has been a nightmare for the Lions over the years. In seven career meetings with Detroit, he has 908 total yards and six touchdowns. This season, Forte leads Chicago in both rushing (805 yards) and receiving (436 yards), averaging 5.4 yards per carry and 10.6 yards per catch. QB Jay Cutler has also dominated Detroit in his career. In six lifetime meetings, Cutler has a 109.2 QB rating (10 TD, 1 INT), and he threw for 249 yards and a score when they played in October. WR Earl Bennett is emerging as Cutler’s favorite target, coming off a huge Monday night performance with five catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. Chicago has a couple of injuries that could limit the offense. Star kick returner Devin Hester is questionable with an ankle injury and TE Kellen Davis might miss this game with an elbow injury.
The Bears have really emphasized stuffing the rush since allowing Detroit to run for 181 yards four games ago. In three games since, Chicago has allowed just 202 rushing yards, including 119 to Philly’s top-ranked rushing offense. However, the Bears are still struggling with their pass defense (264 YPG, 26th in NFL). Chicago has forced six turnovers in the past two games, but Detroit’s offense has turned the ball over only five times all season.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
