One of the longest-standing rivalries in the NFL re-engages in Week 4 when the 2-1 Packers and the 1-2 Bears meet for the 195th time under the lights of Thursday Night Football. While Green Bay has dominated the matchup of late – and probably again on TNF – the all-time series is in a dead heat with both sides winning exactly 94 games each.
So, do the Bears have a chance to tip the scales of the all-time series in their direction on Thursday? Most likely not. Aaron Rodgers has been a killer at home against NFC North opponents – throwing 30 touchdowns and just four interceptions against them the last five seasons – and he’s led the Pack to a 7-1 straight-up record and a 6-2 record against the spread in his eight home starts against the Bears.
Rodgers, who’s been improving every game this season, is the new favorite atop the MVP odds over at Sportsbook after his heroics against the Bengals. He and the Packers pass offense are second only to the Patriots in terms of yards per game (291) and Chicago hasn’t been doing much in the way of slowing down the aerial attacks of their opponents.
While the Bears have been respectable through three games, nearly beating the Falcons in Week 1 and shocking the Steelers for their first win on Sunday, they’re going to be in tough against the green and gold on Color Rush night. The Packers rush defense has been good enough (113.7 yards per game) to slow down Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen and the pass defense has been stingy, giving up just 183 yards per game so far.
Mike Glennon, who’s been perfectly average under center (26.0 QBR), could struggle to get anything going against the Pack’s ball-hawking secondary and if Howard finds himself running uphill, the Bears offense will be spending the majority of the evening on the sideline.
The Packers’ recent domination of the Bears has been no accident – they’re a much better football team and there’s no reason they shouldn’t cover the number on Thursday.
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Sportsbook Odds & Computer Pick
The Green Bay Packers were 7.5-point favorites at oddsmaker shops such as Sportsbook, while the NFL total was set at 45.5 for OVER/UNDER totals betting.
Prediction-scoring formulas run on this game picked a potential 26-15 result in favor of the Packers. View the computer score prediction and who will win the pick on the moneyline for all upcoming NFL matchups here.
Chicago Bears vs Green Bay Packers Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
Green Bay bringS a 2-1 record (1-2 ATS) to the Week 4 matchup against the 1-2 Chicago Bears, who are 2-1 against the spread. Over/under betting has seen Green Bay go 2-1 so far and the Bears go 0-3. Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and Green Bay vs Chicago injuries news.
This game matches up the No. 5 (Green Bay Packers) and the No. 27 (Chicago Bears) teams in the league, according to our current NFL Power Rankings at OddsShark.
Statistical Matchup
The game also pits Green Bay's No. 15-ranked offense, averaging 22.33 PPG, against a Bears defense that ranks No. 21 this week at 23 PPG. The Packers aerial game is averaging 291.33 yards per game, more than the Bears secondary allows through the air, 238 YPG per game.
In comparing defenses, the Chicago Bears own the league's No. 22-rated front 7 in terms of stopping the run, allowing 117 yards per game when on the road. Green Bay, on the other hand, rates No. 27 this week in generating rushing yards at home.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
Pittsburgh was unable to contain Jordan Howard in its last action Sunday and the result was a 23-17 Week 3 loss against the Bears.
Aaron Rodgers dusted the Bengals secondary for 3 TDs last time out as the Packers defeated Cincinnati 27-24 at Lambeau Field.
Next Betting Matchups
Chicago home to Minnesota, Monday, October 9
Green Bay at Dallas, Sunday, October 8