The Bears and Redskins are two NFC teams that have a lot of work
to do in the final three weeks of the 2012 NFL preseason schedule, which gives
some added importance to their Saturday night matchup at Soldier Field. Find out who you should add to your football picks this
weekend.
RGIII has the nation’s capital excited
The Washington Redskins gave up a lot to draft Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, Robert
Griffin III from Baylor with the second
overall selection in the 2012 NFL draft, but early signs indicate it was the
right move. He connected on four of his six pass attempts for 70 yards
and a touchdown in a 7-6 victory over the Buffalo Bills as three-point road
favorites in the team’s preseason opener.
Keeping Cutler upright is the main focus
Jay Cutler didn’t participate in the Chicago Bears preseason
opening game against the Denver Broncos, as he watched the team get out-gained
by a sizable 206-yard margin in a 31-3 setback as three-point home favorites on
Aug. 9. The offense definitely has some playmaking ability with running
back Matt Forte and wide receiver Brandon Marshall, but the offensive line
continues to be highly scrutinized. The unit yielded six sacks against
the Broncos, something that may affect Cutler’s ability to get the ball down
the field on Saturday.
Bears have faltered in this situation under Smith
Head coach Lovie Smith has compiled a 16-18 straight-up record
in exhibition play during his time in the Windy City, but the Bears have gone
0-4 against the spread (ATS) as a preseason favorite when losing as such in
their previous contest. This situation arose two times during Chicago’s
0-4 preseason record in 2010, with the squad failing to cover the spread by an
average of 6.5 points.
Shanahan continues to deliver profits before the regular season 
Mike Shanahan is entering his third year as the Redskins head
coach, but he’s been delivering nfl picks to bettors for years before the
games actually count in the regular season. The 59-year-old has compiled
a 42-33-2 ATS record during his career on the sidelines, but it’s important to
note that Washington has covered just five of nine games during his time in the
nation’s capital.
Urlacher’s leadership is missing
Bears captain Brian Urlacher will miss the entire preseason
after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on Tuesday, which is a
big concern for a defensive unit that allowed 338 total yards to the Denver
Broncos in the opener. Veteran Nick Roach is currently filling his role
as the team’s starting middle linebacker, something that he did for three
regular season games in 2009.
Prediction
From a handicapping standpoint and when viewing the odds, I don’t think the Bears care
that much about preseason play with a veteran-laden roster in the first two
weeks, which will move the team to 0-3 ATS in Week 2 of the exhibition schedule
since 2010. Washington has thaelook of a squad that could run the table
before opening up the regular season on the road against the New Orleans Saints
on Sept. 9.
Pick:
Washington Redskins +1.5