The Bears and Packers meet for a Thursday night showdown. Who are the odds makers favoring, and which way should bettors look to place their NFL picks?

Desperate times call for desperate measures and although it is only Week 2 of the NFL regular season, the Packers may be at or near desperate times. After the 49ers demolished their home opener, the Packers now must face their division rival Chicago Bear, who are fresh off of an impressive win to win. I think the Bears are going to add unexpected misery to the fans in Green Bay with an upset win tonight.

That being said, let’s take a look at the current NFL odds to find out how us bettors can profit the most. 

Now, even if the Packers go 0-2, the NFL is a league of parity, and as the slogan goes “On any given Sunday any team can win.” There will still be 14 more weeks for this strong team to get their act together, but right now, the Bears are playing vastly superior football on both sides of the ball and I strongly believe the Bears will cover and win this game.

Game Situations

Aaron RodgersI am well aware that Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers is a perfect 3-0 ATS when coming in off of a loss and facing a division opponent off a win. All good things end though and this three game sample size is not statistically meaningful. However, I do respect Rodgers and his ability to lead his team and the fact that he is arguably the best QB in the NFL. However, the Bears defense mandates that if any opponent will defeat them, it will take more than just the quarterback to do so. 

Injury Update

The key news on the injury front is that Green Bay wide receiver Greg Jennings is downgraded to doubtful with a sever groin injury. These types of injuries can linger for an entire season if not properly dealt with, and since it is Week 2, the Packers training staff want to make certain he comes back to the field of play in 100% healthy condition. It still depletes the receiver corp for this game. 

Green Bay already has 12 players listed on the NFL injury list compared to just six players for the Bears. Green Bay may be without linebacker Jamari Lattimore, who is also listed as doubtful with an ankle injury. So, the Packers did get physically beat by the 49ers last week. 

Simulator Projections

The neural network based simulator shows a high probability that the Bears will score between 22 and 28 points. In past games, the Bears are 4-1 ATS the past three seasons and 45-25 ATS since 1992 when they have scored within this range of points. The Bears are also on a 6-0 run using the money line making 7.6 units per one unit wagered when they score 22 to 28 points over the last three seasons.

Chicago is a 10* graded Play

This plays grades as a 10* Titan under my wagering methodology that I have developed over 18-years of handicapping the major sports. I also highly recommend that you visit the NFL with John Ryan thread for all pertinent updates and validation of this play and others. The thread is successful because there are dozens of knowledgeable football fans and handicappers that contribute to the site helping to provide even greater insight into games that show strong wagering opportunities.

Free NFL Pick: Chicago Bears to cover

Be sure to check out Jordan Sharp's pick on the total in this game.