Which backup QB will get the short-lived Fame?
The Chicago Bears are well on their way to grabbing another very high pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. That, in turn, is not a mark of quality in the United States, as it is well known that the worst teams in the talent pool have a better chance of getting an early pick. With a sobering record of one win and five losses, head coach Matt Eberflus’ team is once again living up to its reputation these weeks.
The reason why it is not out of place to bet on a home win for the franchise from the Windy City in the Bears’ clash against the Raiders on Sunday evening is that it promises to be no ordinary encounter. Both sides will most likely feature their respective backup quarterbacks. Instead of Fields vs. Garopollo, the matchup at the playmaker position will likely be Bagent vs. Hoyer.
Before the game of the Bears against the Raiders, the forecast of many experts therefore goes in the direction of a tough event with rather few points. Especially for the guests from Las Vegas, however, it is still an important game, after all, they could put with the third win in a row on a positive record (4:3) and thus underpin the playoff aspirations in the AFC. However, the task at Soldier Field will definitely not be a foregone conclusion.
Chicago Bears – Statistics & current form
The train towards the playoffs has all but sailed for the Chicago Bears after just six games. Although the franchise from the third largest city in the U.S. in the run-up to this season actually had a lot of plans and you could expect a significant improvement, especially from quarterback Justin Fields, has already returned to disillusionment after a good third of the season.
With only one win and five losses, the Bears are at the bottom of the NFC North standings, four wins behind the Detroit Lions. To make matters worse, Justin Fields was injured in the previous week’s 13-19 loss at home to the Vikings and had to leave the field early. His deployment is extremely on the line and is considered unlikely.
Will rookie QB Bagent win his first NFL match?
As a result, the responsibility will once again fall on backup playmaker Tyson Bagent, who came into the league as an undrafted rookie and has only been able to make a splash at the Division II level even at the college level. His approaches last weekend, however, weren’t at all amiss. Among other things, Bagent scored a rushing touchdown. Two of his turnovers, an interception and a fumble, ultimately led to the Bears’ fourth loss in a row.
In general, the turnover differential remains the biggest problem for the winless franchise. Through the first six days of play, the Bears have already lost the egg 11 times. Only three teams have more turnovers, including the Las Vegas Raiders, who are at twelve ball losses and are even behind Chicago in the aforementioned differential rankings. This is one of the reasons why we are not at all averse to playing the higher odds on the home win of the supposed underdog between the Bears and the Raiders.
The top receiver of the “Monsters of the midway”, DJ Moore, can be cited as another argument. The 26-year-old is in strong form, scoring four touchdowns in his last three matches and benefiting from the fact that Chicago currently boasts the seventh-best rushing offense in the league. The Bears vs Raiders prediction on a DJ Moore touchdown definitely brings exciting value at odds over 3.00.
Predicted Chicago Bears lineup:
- QB: Tyson Bagent
- RB: D’Onta Foreman
- WR: DJ Moore
- WR: Darnell Mooney
- TE: Cole Kmet
- K: Cairo Santos
Las Vegas Raiders – statistics & current form
The AFC West is certainly one of the stronger divisions in the NFL. With the Kansas City Chiefs, the reigning Super Bowl champion leads this division with 5-1 wins. Behind them, however, are the Las Vegas Raiders, who currently stand at an even 3:3 and thus still have a slight advantage over the LA Chargers. Admittedly, it would be a big surprise at the end of the season if “Silver and Black” could make it to the playoffs.
On Sunday, Las Vegas is even considered the favorite, despite the tight personnel situation. First and foremost, of course, will be the absence of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Last weekend, oldie Brian Hoyer took over his position, left a decent impression and managed the lead against the Patriots after his substitution.
However, it also cannot be ruled out that rookie Aidan O’Connell will get the nod similar to what he did in week four. Regardless of which playmaker will be on the turf at Soldier Field: It certainly won’t increase the chances of a third straight win.
The running game continues to not be a factor at all
Making matters worse, there was internal squabbling over superstar Davante Adams during the week. The receiver criticized his own teammates as well as the coaching staff and caused unrest within the team with his fit of egoism/arrogance. This is unlikely to have a performance-enhancing effect.
On Sunday, the Raiders’ receiver cast will once again have to carry a heavy load, as nothing has worked in the running game so far. Ranking 31st in rushing is a real disaster. Running back Josh Jacobs is running behind a weak O-Line and therefore hardly creates any relief for the quarterback, who is not well protected. The Bears, thanks to their better running game, could therefore control the game clock and keep the opposing offense off the field.
Predicted Las Vegas Raiders lineup:
- QB: Brian Hoyer
- RB: Josh Jacobs
- WR: Davante Adams
- WR: Jacobi Meyers
- TE: Michael Mayer
- K: Daniel Carlson
Chicago Bears – Las Vegas Raiders head-to-head comparison / H2H record
Sportingly, the paths of these two franchises do not cross very often due to the different Conferences. The last direct duel took place in 2021, which went to the Bears with 20:9. Derek Carr was on the field for the Raiders, Justin Fields for the Bears. On Sunday other quarterbacks will swing the scepter, so that the direct comparison can be neglected rather. At least in terms of the number of points, however, the upcoming matchup could be similar to the most recent direct encounter. We definitely don’t believe in offensive fireworks, considering the starting positions.
Chicago Bears – Las Vegas Raiders Tip
In week seven of the NFL we can look forward to some highlights. Meanwhile, the matchup of the Chicago Bears against the Las Vegas Raiders does not meet the requirements of a top game. The home side has a weak 1-5 record, while the Raiders have won two in a row, but have not really been convincing against the lowly Patriots and the overmatched Packers. To make matters worse, both sides are expected to use their respective backup quarterbacks
Besides a logical Bears vs. Raiders bet on rather few points, it is therefore also a conceivable approach to bet on the supposed underdog. The fact is that Las Vegas has an even weaker turnover differential than the franchise from the Windy City. In addition, the Bears also have the advantage in the running game.
