Best Bets: Bears-Titans spread picks, total and survivor pool

The email Jeff and I go back and forth with about this column started with, “are we even doing this?”

Such is where the Bears have their fanbase this week with feelings of apathy in the air.

I remember the feeling of, “yeah they may not be great but they’re 5-1!”

That seems so long ago.

There’s a level of inevitability about the Bears right now, especially with their decimated offensive line, and I mean decimated.

We’ll get into it in a minute, so let’s go over the WCG contest leagues.

In the survivor pool we lost two people last week, including Patti and had five others that took strikes on either the Titans or the Packers.

Halfway through the season there’s still six people in the contest who have yet to take a strike and we’re just five weeks away from the stakes raising to where we have to pick two survivors a week.

In the Pick ‘Ems contest, yours truly is still leading with a strong nine-point week, although Assy McGee (still weird to type that one out) is hot on my heels coming off a high-scorer 11-point week. I’m narrowly ahead 74-71.

Jeff is in fourth with 66 points, Lester in 13th with 58, WhiskeyRanger took it on the chin with a goose egg week is in 17th and then Patti also with a zero week. Get those picks in people!

Now, let’s get into the game.

Chicago Bears at Tennessee Titans (-6, O/U 46.5)

Sunday, noon, FOX

Sam: Is anyone really feeling good about this game? The Titans, much like the Bears have been Cardiac Kids this year, with wild comebacks and ‘did they deserve to win?’ games.

They’re kind of the inverse of Chicago as well, they have a good offense but a very suspect defense.

Somethings going to have to give for one of these teams, the Titans have had zero pass rush this year, averaging one sack per game and having the worst third down defense in the league. The Bears have the second-worst third down offense and an offensive line that could have at least two players playing out of position or playing a new position.

That said though, the Titans are 2-5 against the spread while the Bears are the same as their overall record, 5-3.

Under Nagy, the Bears are 4-3 as five-point or bigger underdogs, but are 0-3 in their last three such games.

I keep kind of wavering, but with the way the Bears have played defensively against the run, I just keep going back to them getting gashed over and over. So I’m laying the six and the under and hoping I’m wrong.

For the survivor pool I am once again taking a break from picking against New York teams and instead picking against Dallas. I may throw (a very small) bet on the Cowboys on the spread (no NFL team has ever started 0-9 against the number and Dallas is 0-8) but I do trust the Steelers to get the W straight up.

Picks: Titans -6, under 46.5, Steelers (survivor)

JB: Looks like we’ll be getting a JV offensive line in front of Nick Foles this weekend and, I don’t know, maybe if it were the original Titans (now the Jets) I might not be that worried. Maybe if it were the Titans from that Denzel Washington movie I can’t remember the title of, I might not be that worried, although... now that I think about it, that DE was really good. Anyway, it’s the Tennessee Titans and while they’re on a bit of a skid themselves, they have talent up front. It’s going to be a long day for the Bears and I can’t believe the betting line has held where it has.

To continue this sad story, I don’t see an offense that has struggled all year to suddenly come alive with this banged up unit. The Bears defense is still good but will be tested against Derrick Henry. I imagine the Titans get out to an early lead and try to milk the clock, make it a short game. Bang the under button.

As for Survivor League, I’m going to keep picking on the Cowboys and grab the Steelers. I know the Patriots are probably the smarter play against the Jets this weekend but I’m worried about the Pats and I just want a more relaxing weekend by taking the Steelers to crush the ‘Boys.

Picks: Titans, Under, Steelers (Survivor)

What are your best plays this weekend? Do you think the Bears can cover?