Bears Establish Themselves As Team To Beat In NFC


NFL Betting – Bears Establish Themselves As Team To Beat In NFC

The Chicago Bears are the team to beat in the NFC this season. Anyone that disagrees should take a long look at the numbers for this year and understand just how good this team has been. Trailing 19-7 in the fourth quarter of Sunday’ game against the Carolina Panthers, the Bears once again found a way to win a game late when nobody expected that they would be able to. Chicago improved to 6-1 with the 23-22 victory that came on a last-second field goal attempt, and have now established themselves as the team to beat in the NFC.

It isn’t as much about that they have won six of seven games this season as much as it is about how they have done it, including five-straight victories following a week two-loss to the Green Bay Packers. The Bears never really seemed to get on track in that defeat, but what that team went through in that game has since served as a launching point to be much better. Four of Chicago’s five wins have come against NFC teams, and they are making plays on both sides of the ball, with the offense and defense carrying their share of the load for the first time under head coach Lovie Smith.

That was certainly true in Sunday’s win over the Panthers, in which the offense and defense teamed up for 14 points in a matter of eight seconds. It began with quarterback Jay Cutler hitting Kellen Davis on a 19-yard touchdown pass to get the Bears to within a touchdown, but the offense wouldn’t get the opportunity to finish closing the gap because of a hungry defense that has made scoring points somewhat of an expectation. Cornerback Tim Jennings intercepted Carolina quarterback Cam Newton and returned the pick 25 yards for the go-ahead score, and suddenly a 12-point Panthers’ lead had evaporated in to a two-point deficit. It is the Bears’ ability to put up points with both their offense and defense that has separated them from the rest of the pack, and if they can continue to stay healthy they will be hard to stop.

Of course, there is still a long way to go in the regular season, and Chicago will have its fair share of tests with the Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers, and Green Bay Packers still remaining on the schedule. However, a relatively light schedule outside of those marquee  matchups should be easy enough for the Bears to navigate through, and with the Packers looking a step off stride this season there is a strong chance they will be the frontrunners for the NFC North division and home field advantage. There is a lot that can change the remainder of the way and it won’t be easy for any of the teams in a very talented conference, but right now at 6-1, there is no denying that the Bears are the team to beat in the NFC. For all of the latest NFL news and odds, be sure to check out the best sports betting sites.