Best Bets: Bears-Rams spread, total wagers, survivor picks and more

Jeff and Sam finally did it! Picking the same side worked in their favor and they had a clean sweep on the Bears as an underdog and the under.

We’ll see if they both want to keep picking in lock step but for one week everyone was a winner here.

They also were in lockstep on the Dolphins in the survivor pool and walked away feeling the Fitzmagic as they blanked the hapless Jets. Hard not to pick against Adam Gase, right?

Once again, in the survivor pool, it was only the bums that stopped turning in picks that were eliminated but three people took a strike picking New England against Denver.

Over in the pick ‘ems pool Hindsight is 2020 won the week with nine points and they get a shoutout despite still being down in 11th place, but it looks like things are turning around for them. Keep that momentum going.

Sam is in third place after a nine point week, trailing 13th Grader (54 points) and Cooler’s Picks (55). WhiskeyRanger is in fifth with 52 points, JB in ninth with 48 points, Lester in 13th with 47 and Opinion Bear with 46 just behind him.

Now, let’s see if the Bears are going to keep their good times rolling with a tough test on Monday Night Football in Los Angeles.

Chicago Bears at Los Angeles Rams (-6, O/U 45)

Monday, 7:15 p.m. CT, ESPN

Sam: The Bears are underdogs for the sixth time this season, so now it’s old hat for them. It seems easy enough to look at the trends this year and say Bears plus the number and the under, but let’s get into it a little bit.

The Bears and Rams, despite having offensive obsessed coaches, who have been praised for their genius, have combined for 45 total points in their last two meetings. So the expectation is that this will once again be a defensive slugfest in one of the highest-scoring seasons on record.

Wait, why did ESPN pick this one for prime time?

The Bears are 4-2 against the spread this year, while the Rams are 3-3. I wrote in the game preview that there should be some more questions around the Rams’ record than there has been nationally because they’re victories are all over the awful NFC East teams.

The Rams certainly gave the Bills a game in their first loss, but blew a huge lead and then looked out-manned against the 49ers, when they couldn’t even find the endzone until late in the fourth quarter when they were already down by 15 points.

When comes down to it, I’m comfortable betting the Bears as underdogs here. They’ve been close in every game this year and while I’m not sure they can get the win Monday night, I do think it’s going to be another low-scoring affair that stays close.

In the survivor pool I’m continuing my streak of picking against the Jets and going with the Bills in a “get right” situation.

Picks: Bears +6, under 45, Bills (survivor)

JB: ...

Sorry, I was out taking my victory lap in the clean sweep last week. That’s right, we finally did it and it only took six weeks.

The Rams are the NFC East Champions, riding high after sweeping the worst division in, (checks notes) ever. So, who are the Rams? The team that looks great against bad competition or struggles against the semblance of a defense? The Bears defense will easily represent the best they’ve seen all year, so how do bookmakers justify a 6 point spread? It might just be the oddest spread of the week and I’m obviously taking the points and the underdog Bears. I’m even going to go out on a limb and predict taking the moneyline as it sits at something like +230. Let’s go.

Recent history suggests this game could prove to be another slog, with the Bears defense starting to hit on all cylinders and the Rams defense providing another tough matchup for Nick Foles and company. Keep betting the under on this one.

I’ve already burned the Bills in the Survivor Pool... dang it! So, I’m taking a bit of a swing in backing the Chargers at home against the Jags. Both teams are winners of only one game thus far in the season but the Chargers, coming off a bye with the young QB are looking like an interesting team, and I’ll contend that the Jaguars still want to lose this year. Fingers crossed, Bolt up.

Picks: Bears +6, under 45, Chargers (survivor)