Texans vs Bears NFL Betting Preview & Picks

Houston Texans vs Chicago Bears NFL Betting Preview

Week 14 in the NFL is an exciting one, but mostly for individuals who have the privilege of making the playoffs in their fantasy leagues. This week’s NFL betting matchup between the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans is similar to most of the other games on the Sunday slate – an essentially meaningless game late in the season with nothing to really play for but pride.

The big talk surrounding this game is Deshaun Watson playing against Chicago for the first time since they traded up in the 2017 draft to acquire Mitchell Trubisky, passing up on the former Clemson star. However, this all seems to have been left behind in the past according to the Houston quarterback.

“It’s no motivation, it’s what the organization went with,” says Deshaun. “I have no ties, nothing against the Chicago Bears or the organization. Of course, the media’s going to make stories… they’re of course going to say something like that.”

Deshaun currently ranks second in the NFL in passing with 3,542 yards, but the team still continues to struggle. A brutal loss to the Colts last week after a fumble in the last minute on the goal line brought Houston’s record to 4-8. It doesn’t help that Will Fuller V has been suspended indefinitely for illegal substance abuse and Brandin Cooks is day-to-day with concussion-like symptoms.

The Bears, on the other hand, are a hot mess. Chicago has struggled to find its offensive identity all year – if there even is one. Not enough production from Trubisky led to the switch to Nick Foles, which went from no production to injury and now back to Trubisky as the starter.

The Bears are currently on a six-game skid and are in jeopardy of tying the franchise record for most consecutive losses in a season (eight in 2002). The good news for Bears fans is that Trubisky showed signs of life in the offense last week versus Detroit, posting a 108.3 QB rating, although a costly fumble deep in their own territory cost them the game. Star receiver Allen Robinson is looking like he is about to have another 1,000 yard season as well, sitting at 903 going into Sunday’s game against a hot-and-cold Texans secondary.

The question is, while the matchup against a shaky Houston defense is ideal for Chicago, can they muster up enough offense to win a game? Well, now the Bears have another concern – their infamous gridiron defense. Chicago’s offense has been a major concern all year, and the team’s victories have revolved around the stability of the defense, but is that part of the Bears’ vulnerability as a team now too?

Matthew Stafford lit Chicago up for almost 500 yards this past weekend, and Aaron Rodgers made throwing four touchdowns look like the Madden video game in a cruise-control win the week before. With Watson heating up in the passer rating and throwing categories, Bears fans may be uneasy from what they have seen the past two weeks.

Houston Texan vs Chicago Bears NFL Betting Odds & Stats

• Line: HOU -1.5
• O/U: 45
• ATS: Texans 4-8, Bears 5-7
• Series Record: Houston 4-0

Texan vs Bears NFL Team Ratings

Texans NFL Ratings
• Offense: 16th overall Pass: 2nd Rush: 32nd
• Defense: 30th overall Pass: 21st Rush: 31st

Bears NFL Ratings
• Offense: 30th overall Pass: 23rd Rush: 31st
• Defense: 15th overall Pass: 17th Rush: 17th

Houston v Chicago NFL Betting Prediction

While online sportsbooks project this as an essentially “pick to win” game with the spread at 1.5, we simply do not trust the Bears to get the job done on either side of the ball. Not to mention, positive COVID-19 testing has forced the Bears to prepare from now until Sunday all virtually and makes any player or member of the coaching staff a concern, adding more fuel to the dumpster fire that the organization has become during this six-game skid.

While the Texans are no major threat either, they are hard-nosed and compete with every team despite their array of losses. And although the Texans have a defensive vulnerability against the pass and sit dead last in the NFL defending the run, they have shown improvement over the last few weeks and the Bears offense is certainly nothing to be overly concerned about.

The Bears should be able to put up points this game, but it won’t be enough to win. Because of the up-and-down Texans defense and a Bears defense that has been torn to shreds the last two weeks, we want take the over on this game – or at least tease a few points on it. Despite the loss of Will Fuller and a questionable Brandin Cooks, give us the Texans with a Deshaun Watson who has trended nowhere but up during the season.

Houston v Chicago NFL Betting Pick