Is Justin Fields Healthy Enough To Compete on Sunday?
Check Out Our Bears vs Lions Betting Game Preview For Week 11
The Chicago Bears will have a familiar face back at quarterback for their road matchup against the Detroit Lions.
That familiar face is quarterback Justin Fields, who will finally return to the starting lineup after missing five games earlier this season due to injury. The Bears only won one game in games where Fields started.
Chicago will take on a Detroit Lions team that is 7-2 on the season. The Lions have won four of their last five games and look like a legitimate Super Bowl contender this year.
With the Lions sitting at -7.5 (-115), can the Bears sneak in a cover and keep this game a one-possession game?
The total is currently at 48, with oddsmakers expecting the Bears to struggle to score offensively.
Let’s look at the Bears vs Lions betting game preview for this NFC matchup.
Chicago Bears vs Detroit Lions 
Day/Time:
Location: Ford Field
Streaming: FOX
Bears vs Lions Betting Game Preview
The Detroit Lions aren’t just 7-2 on the NFL season. They’re also 7-2 against the spread.
We all know the saying, “Good teams win, but great teams cover.” That’s the Lions. The Lions are one of the great teams in the NFL this season.
Detroit has covered in six of their last seven games. All six of those games had the Lions favored. But in the one game where Detroit lost, the Lions were underdogs to the Ravens.
Meanwhile, the total has hit the Over in five of nine games this season for the Lions.
On the other hand, the Bears are just 3-5-2 against the spread this season. However, the last time the Bears lost against the spread was in October. They won against the spread against the Saints in a seven-point loss as 10-point underdogs and then pushed as three-point favorites against the Panthers in a 16-13 game.
Chicago has also hit the Over in six of ten games this season.
Lastly, the Lions have defeated the Bears head-to-head in the last two matchups. The Lions scored a combined 72 points in those two games and covered in both.
Justin Fields Is Planning His Return
Justin Fields endured a dislocated thumb in the second half against the Minnesota Vikings on October 15. He was sidelined for four games but is not expected to return to the football field for the Bears this weekend.
Fields began throwing on November 3 and was finally a full participant in practice on Wednesday.
However, when he first returned to practice, the former Ohio State quarterback wore a glove on his right hand and said he still wasn’t 100% comfortable with pain tolerance.
The Bears even considered having him return for last week’s game against the Panthers. But it was in his best interests to wait for another 1.5 weeks to heal.
Dan Campbell Staying In Detroit
Dan Campbell has built something special in Detroit. He took over the Lions when they were the NFL’s worst team. But now he’s got Detroit sitting at 7-2 and competing for a Super Bowl Championship.
When you have success, everyone wants you.
The Texas A&M Aggies football program fired Jimbo Fisher and inquired about Dan Campbell’s interest in leaving the Lions for the Texas A&M job. Campbell is a Texas A&M alum, which is where the connection stemmed from.
However, reports state that he’s not interested and won’t be a candidate for the open head coaching position at Texas A&M.
After all, he’s made it at a higher level in the NFL. While Campbell would be the dream higher at Texas A&M, it’s more than unlikely that it will happen.
Don’t Bet On The Bears
It’s unclear how prepared Justin Fields will be. Is he 100%? Can he throw the ball without any pain? Will he feel comfortable after being away from the football field for over a month?
These are all legitimate questions.
While the Lions have allowed 22.56 points per game this season, the defense has held teams to under 80 rushing yards per game. Fields is more known for his rushing ability. He’s been inaccurate as a passer throughout his time in the league.
With a thumb injury, those inaccuracies could continue in this game against the Lions. Detroit’s defense isn’t sensational. They don’t stand out in any position. But the run defense is good enough, and the pass defense has done its job well.
On the other hand, the Lions have a healthy backfield on offense, with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs at running back. Those two should really keep the Lions’ offense balanced and keep other defenses on their toes.
Chicago’s defense has been good against the run this year, holding teams to 76 yards per game. But realistically, with how the Bears have played this year, the expectation is that they’ll start to struggle more against the run in the second half of the season. The Bears have missed many tackles and don’t have a good pass-rush unit.
This shouldn’t be much of a battle between the two NFC North teams. Only the Lions have a legitimate probability regarding the Super Bowl odds. The NFL football schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Bears down the stretch.
Per our Bears vs Lions betting game preview, we’ll back the Lions at -7.5.
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