Tennessee Titans vs Chicago Bears Betting Pick & Prediction 9/8/24
FOX will be covering the week one non-conference matchup between the Titans and Bears, which is set to kick off at 1:00 ET. The Bears are favored on the money line at -204 and are -4.5 point favorites on the road. The over/under line is at 45.5 points.
TENNESSEE TITANS VS CHICAGO BEARS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Tennessee Titans +4.5
This game will be played at Soldier Field at 1:00 ET on Sunday, September 8th.
WHY BET THE TENNESSEE TITANS:
- We have the Titans winning this one by a score of 24 to 18
- Not only do we have the Titans winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at +4.5
- We see this game finishing below the line of 45.5 points
Will The Titans Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs
The Titans’ struggles against teams with winning records were evident last season, as they went 3-11 in games against above .500 opponents. However, they managed a perfect 3-0 record against below .500 teams. Overall, Tennessee finished with a disappointing 6-11 record, placing them 4th in the AFC South. Their only division win came in week 18, as they went 1-5 against AFC South rivals.
On the road, the Titans really struggled, going 1-7, but they were much better at home with a 5-4 record. They were 5-9 as the underdog and 1-2 as the favorite. Their ATS record for the season was 7-9-1, and they were 5-3-1 ATS at home while going 2-6 ATS on the road. Their over/under record was 6-11, with their games averaging 39.5 points per game.
The Titans’ offense struggled last season, finishing 27th in the league in home points and 30th in road points. Overall, they were 27th in the league, averaging just 17.9 points per game. One of the main reasons for their struggles was their inability to move the ball, as they ranked 28th in yards per game, averaging only 289 per contest.
In the passing game, the Titans were 29th in yards, averaging 180.4 yards per game. They were also 30th in passing attempts, showing a lack of confidence in their passing game. On third downs, the Titans were 25th in the league, converting only 33.5% of their attempts.
The Titans’ defense allowed a collective passer rating of 94.07 last season, ranking 27th in the league. They were 24th in the overall defensive power rankings and gave up 21.6 points per game, placing them right in the middle of the pack at 15th. Opposing quarterbacks completed 67.8% of their passes against Tennessee, which was 28th compared to other defenses.
Despite finishing 10th in sacks, the Titans were just 20th in quarterback hits. They were tough to score on in the red zone, allowing a red zone scoring percentage of 37.7%, the best mark in the NFL. However, they also allowed the 4th most passing touchdowns and rushing touchdowns last season.
Are The Bears Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?
The Titans’ 2023 season was a struggle, as they finished with a disappointing 6-11 record, placing them 4th in the AFC South. Their only success within the division came in a 1-5 record. On the road, they went just 1-7, but they played better at home, going 5-4. Last year’s Titans were 2-3 in non-conference games.
As underdogs, the Titans were 5-9, and as favorites, they went 1-2. When playing against teams with winning records, they were 3-11, but they were 3-0 against teams with losing records. The Titans’ over/under record was 6-11, with their games averaging a combined 39.5 points per game. Tennessee went 7-9-1 against the spread, with a 5-3-1 record at home and a 2-6 record on the road.
The Titans’ offense struggled on the road last season, averaging just 12.6 points per game, which was the 3rd worst figure in the NFL. Overall, they finished 27th in the league, averaging only 17.9 points per game. Their inability to move the ball was evident, as they ranked 28th in yards per game, averaging only 289 per contest. In the passing game, they were 2nd to last in the league, averaging only 180.4 yards per game.
One of the reasons for their struggles was their inability to sustain drives, as they ranked 25th in third-down conversion percentage. Additionally, they were one of the worst offenses at putting points on the board, ranking 19th in the league in red zone conversion percentage.
Despite finishing 24th in the defensive power rankings, the Titans’ defense was right in the middle of the pack in terms of points allowed, giving up 21.6 points per game (15th). They were tough at home, giving up only 19.3 points per game, which ranked 11th. One of their strengths was their run defense, as they were 4th in rushing yards per attempt.
Opposing quarterbacks found success against them, completing 67.8% of their passes (28th) and finishing with a collective passer rating of 94.07 (27th). The Titans were 20th in quarterback hits, which impacted their ability to defend the pass.