Raiders vs. Bears: NFL Week 7 Odds, Picks & Player Prop Bets
I’m Andrew Erickson, and I’m here to guide you through each game on the NFL slate, offering insights and recommendations on sides, totals, and player props that you can quickly turn into a big single-game parlay. Whether you’re a seasoned bettor or just dipping your toes into the world of NFL wagering - I know that I am for the first time now that my state has legalized wagering - this primer is designed to provide you with valuable perspectives and picks for the upcoming NFL week of action. Here are my top picks for Raiders vs. Bears.
NFL Betting Primer: Raiders vs. Bears
Chicago Bears (CHI) vs. Las Vegas Raiders (LV) – Bears (+3)
If there is any team that could blow a game versus a former Division II quarterback making his first NFL start...it's the Las Vegas Raiders. Ya know the same team that lost to a Jeff Saturday-coached team last year at home as four-point favorites.
They head on the road this week to take on the Bears with similar QB question marks themselves. Jimmy Garoppolo is dealing with a back injury, and it has been noted that rookie Aidan O'Connell will draw his second start of the season.
O'Connell was underwhelming in his debut back in Week 4 versus the Chargers. The biggest issue was taking sacks. Fifty-eight percent of his pressures turned into sacks. Took seven total sacks which are the ultimate drive-killers. He posted solid fantasy numbers with a rushing TD and 238 passing yards, but I'd hardly say his experience put the Raiders in a spot that puts them at a great advantage versus another rookie quarterback.
Should also mention that Tyson Bagent played well based on the circumstances in last week's game. After taking a sack that resulted in a TD on his second play - would crush the confidence of any rookie QB - Bagent kept his composure.
In the fourth quarter down 19-6, he got them back in the game. Drove the team from the 23-yard line on a 9-play TD drive. And he got them within striking distance to tie the game on the next drive before throwing an interception that sealed victory for Minnesota.
Overall, he did enough to potentially get Chicago the win had it not been for the fumble six.
And that is enough for me to back the Bears at home versus the Raiders who got bailed out by a safety to cover the spread last week versus the Patriots.
Chicago should be able to run the ball against a bad Raiders run defense to come away with a home victory.
On the totals, just go under.
The Raiders are 5-1 toward the under this season. I presume they go run-heavy with a rookie QB, even though the Bears strengths on defense are against the rushing attempts of running backs.
Chicago is 5-1 toward the over, with their only under coming last week after Justin Fields got hurt. As long as Fields remains sidelined, I'd anticipate a new streak of "unders" is upon us.
No better way to pair that under than with a play on Josh Jacob's rushing prop. The Bears weakness on defense is versus the RBs in the passing game, not the running game. They have allowed no RB to surpass more than 73 yards against them this season. They have allowed just 3.5 yards per carry - equivalent to the Cleveland Browns. Simply put, this number for Jacobs is way too high. He's surpassed 70 yards rushing one time all year. He is averaging 2.9 yards per carry on the year.
My Picks:
- Bears +3 (-110 DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Under 37.5 (-110 DraftKings Sportsbook)
My Props:
- Josh Jacobs under 73.5 rushing yards (-120 DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Josh Jacobs over 19.5 receiving yards (-120 DraftKings Sportsbook)
What is Betting Against the Spread?
Betting "against the spread" refers to the act of choosing the winning team based on a numeric handicap placed on the team that oddsmakers believe is superior, rather than picking the outright winner. For example, if the Rams face the Bengals, and oddsmakers set the spread at Rams -3.5, you would need Los Angeles to win by 4 or more points in order to cash your Rams bet.
What is an Over/Under Bet?
Over/Under is a wager based on how many points you think will be scored in a specific game. Oddsmakers set the total, and bettors decide whether the final score will be higher or lower than that number. If an Over/Under is set at 44.5 points and you bet Over, you will need the combined score of both teams to be 45 points or higher to win your bet.
What is a Moneyline Bet?
A moneyline bet involves choosing which team you believe will win a specific matchup. The moneyline favorite carries a minus designation, like -130. This means that you need to wager $130 to earn a $100 profit. Conversely, the underdog carries a plus designation, like +110. This means that you win $110 in profit on a $100 bet.
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