One of the biggest rivalries in all of sports is set to go down Thursday night, when the Bears travel up to Green Bay to face the Packers. How have the NFL odds makers chosen to line this game, and can football bettors expect to see much movement?


The Chicago Bears had their way with the Colts this past Sunday, while the Packers took a beating of their own when they lost to the 49ers. 

The Week 2 NFL odds are out, and this game is already starting to see some heavy action, as the Packers are laying -6 at home.

Chicago put on an offensive clinic in Week 1, and although it was against a weak Colts team, the Bears proved that their offseason additions were the real deal. Jay Cutler threw for 333 yards, two touchdowns and a pick in Chicago’s win, while a host of other Bears played well also.

Aaron RodgersOn the other side, Aaron Rodgers had an average game by his standards in the Packers’ loss to San Francisco. Rodgers was 30-44 on the day, with 303 yards, two touchdowns and a costly end of the game interception.

These two teams have a bitter history, so let’s take a look at some of the factors leading up to this matchup, and we will start to decide which way we should lean with our NFL picks on Thursday night.

Packers bad, or 49ers good? 

Obviously, the Packers didn’t play at their best Sunday, as the 49ers reminded everyone that they were not a fluke in 2011. The Niners held Green Bay to 45 rushing yards, and limited Rodgers to a 55.1 QBR. None of the Packers offensive players had great games, and it showed. 

However, I do think it was a game where the Packers lost, and were not beaten. Yes, the 49ers played well and forced the Packers to throw into tight windows, but the Green Bay receivers had horrible games. Jermichael Finley had several key drops throughout the game, and the Packers were only 6-13 on third down. Plus, the Packers only gained 324 yards of total offense. For a team that normally gets 400 yards without even trying, this was big. 

Bear Down

I don’t care if it was against the Colts, the Bears made a statement on Sunday. They told everyone that they are the real deal this season, and they are more than ready for their early trip to Green Bay. 

New comer Brandon Marshall caught nine passes for 119 yards and a touchdown, proving that he will add a new dimension to this team. The Bears newly paid running back tandem had themselves a fine game as well. Matt Forte rushed for 80 yards on 16 carries, while grabbing 3 receptions for 40 yards. Michael Bush cleaned up the scraps, as he had two touchdowns on 12 carries and 42 yards. 

Indy might have one of the worst defenses in the league, so this is obviously not something to get incredibly excited about, but it is a good sign. Another good sign for Chicago was Brian Urlacher’s performance. Urlacher is playing on a banged up knee and even though he is far from 100%, his presence means as much as his play does for Chicago.

Noticeable trends

The Bears are looking to reverse their recent play against the Packers. Chicago is only 1-6 SU in their last seven games against Green Bay, while they are only 2-7 ATS in their last nine against them.

Tomorrow, we will take a look at the total for this game, and then Thursday morning, I’ll release my pick for the spread. Stay tuned!