After beating the Seattle Seahawks this past Monday night to even their record at 1-1, the Chicago Bears go to the Arizona Cardinals poised to go over .500 for the first time since 2014. The good feeling this has brought on and the perception of an easy win coming has the gambling portion of Bears nation singing “Money! Money!” But playing the Cardinals at their noisy dome in the desert may be harder than it appears on paper, and for the Bears to emerge victorious. There are some intangibles involved with this trip that may lead to a closer game than the gambling audience of Bears nation would like.
Chicago Bears-Arizona Cardinals: Are the Bears a Sure Bet?
The Bears “D” looks good now, Money, Money!
The Bears are listed as a six-point road favorite and will cost you $225 on the money line to make $100. This information says two things. First, on paper, this looks like a colossal mismatch, considering home field is worth three points by itself. So the Bears would be nine-point favorites on a neutral field.
The Bears defensive performance through two games has been at times dominant and outright scary for quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, Deshone Kizer and Russell Wilson. The Bears defense leads the league in sacks and has COMPLETELY shut down the two top quarterbacks in fantasy football for six out of eight quarters. The Cardinals offense that has produced six points in two games should be overmatched.
Second, the oddsmakers in Vegas know how overzealous Bears fans are right now. That’s why they are making them spend $225 to make $100. It may seem like easy money if you’re the fan of one of the most improved teams in the league. Bears fans who gamble $225 seems easy and affordable enough. That’s how they get you. By making the prices enticing enough to make it seem like it’s worth it for the gambler to take that action. By comparison, you would have to spend $1,490 on the Minnesota Vikings this week against Buffalo to make $100, in Minneapolis. Sure things will cost you!
Sam Bradford‘s in Arizona, come on Money…
Excluding the gambling aspect of the Bears versus Cardinals matchup, the Bears, the media, and fans, are overlooking a few intangibles that will potentially make this a close game.
Cardinals quarterback Sam Bradford is no stranger to the Bears or their defense. He played in Minnesota for two seasons, preparing for and shredding the Bears Vic Fangio led defense in 2016. Bradford will be more than comfortable playing the Bears on Sunday. Throw in the added knowledge of Fangio’s defense that Cardinals backup quarterback and former Bear Mike Glennon gives to Bradford. Bradford will know what’s coming in certain situations and has enough football I.Q. to audible into quicker hitting plays.
The fact that Bradford has played badly enough so far in two games and that Arizona fans and media are calling for rookie Josh Rosen doesn’t diminish the possibility of a late Arizona cover. The Bears have had 20 and 14-point leads late in the third quarters of both their games so far. They had Rodgers rip their guts out in Week One and came within a recovered onside kick of seeing Wilson tossing a Hail Mary to the Bears end zone. Don’t be surprised to see Arizona insert the rookie Rosen to jump-start their offense in the second half. The energizing feeling of having their youthful leader tossed into the game could be the spark the Cardinals need to wake up their dormant offense and superstar running back David Johnson.
Get Dave, Get F—-d!
Johnson is the biggest factor working against the Bears this Sunday. The Bears must stop him in order to win. Coming off of a wrist injury that forced to him to miss all of last season, people forget how explosive a player he is. He has been in a reduced role so far, with Arizona having fallen behind big in the second quarters of both their games. Arizona went three and out five times against the Los Angeles Rams defense last Sunday.
But Cardinals offensive coordinator Mike McCoy admitted that they have to get Johnson more involved in the passing game this week to take the pressure off of Bradford. They will also use him as a decoy at times and spread him out to get mismatches against safeties and linebackers. It will then be up to Bradford to call for the right protection as Arizona will attempt to get Bears linebacker’s moving and out of the box.
One intangible that should not be overlooked is the friendship between McCoy and former Bears head coach John Fox. Fox employed McCoy at two different times during McCoy’s career. Coaches talk to each other, and several Bears beat reporters would have you believe that Fox and Fangio hated each other, even though it’s never been widely reported. Part of knowing certain matchups involves knowing who is behind the scenes as well. I haven’t heard any beat reporter mention this relationship this week. Maybe they don’t know who the Cardinals coordinator is, or maybe they have forgotten the connection. It’s up to the bettor to decide how useful a conversation between McCoy and Fox about Fangio’s defense could be.
Don’t Stop Now, Come on Mack!
The Bears defense enters this game with the momentum of a full Khalil Mack truck moving downhill! They are as healthy to start the season as they have been in the last decade. The additions of Mack and first-round pick Roquan Smith have added noticeable speed to the Bears linebacking core. Aaron Lynch, who didn’t play all preseason long, made an impact last game as Mack’s backup. The Bears are collapsing pockets in a three-second count without stunts, and without blitzing. The Bears lead the league in sacks with 10 in two games and have the league’s reigning defensive player of the week in Danny Trevathan, who himself had two sacks last week.
It will be a huge undertaking for Arizona to neutralize the Bears linebacking corps, but, as the Bears have shown at the end of the last two games, they are human. The Packers and Seattle offense’s performed best when playing up-tempo and no huddle. The Bears best defensive players had to take breathers and come off the field for several plays during Green Bay’s comeback win. And Seattle had no business making their loss as close as they did. Arizona knows this and may employ this no-huddle tactic early with the veteran Bradford, to try and get a rhythm going.
Come on Money!
If you’re going to gamble on the Bears, only bet what you can afford to lose. They should win. It would be completely shocking if they lose. Giving a putrid Arizona offense six points, when they are at home, may come at a price. The Bears defense has been outscored 35-17 in the fourth quarters of their games. Use this information to proceed with caution. Hope you win! Money! Money!
