Betting the Bears vs. Browns: Spread, total, odds and survivor

Last week the Bears covered the spread and won the game, while the total went under.

Your humble picker lost both those bets, so he’s looking to get back on the right side.

With that said, let’s review the WCG Tournaments.

In the Survival pool we didn’t loose anyone and no one took strikes. Well no one that made a pick, that is. If you joined the survivor pool and didn’t make a pick, that’s a bummer, make one for this week!

Over in the Pick ‘Ems league, I bounced back from a rough week one to have a respectable 11 point week two. The week’s high scorer, CrackedCactus’s Irredeemables had the best 12 point week, with tiebreakers but still trails MonstersoftheMidway, who leads with 23 points.

Let’s turn to Sunday’s game

Chicago Bears at Cleveland Browns (-7.5, O/U 46) - Sunday, noon CT, FOX

The Bears are hitting the road again to face a Browns team that oddly has high expectations, something I’ve never once had to type in my life.

But obviously the Bears have a bit of an unknown a quarterback with rookie Justin Fields making his first start. Sure, he appears to be ready for anything and should look at least a little sharper than last week when he came in off the bench and took over a gameplan he really had had many reps with.

But Cleveland is loaded with talents and will be a tough squad.

With that said though, the Browns lost close to the Chiefs in week one and then didn’t really close out the Texans as big favorites last week. So how good are they really?

While I think that the Browns will win, I do think that Fields and company can keep it closer than eight points. Give me the underdog Bears!

To back that up a little bit, the Bears were 4-3 against the spread as road underdogs, although including the playoffs they were 4-4 and 0-4 when it was by six or more points.

But I think that Justin Fields is going to give the offense a bit of a lift and I think the lack of film on the Bears with a mobile quarterback of Fields’ capability gives the Bears a slight edge to keep it close.

As for the over/under, I’ve been bad at picking this and now I’m in my own head about it. My gut says over and I’m going with it. I think Baker Mayfield is likely to turn it over and Fields is too, on the road. That could lead to a couple short fields or even a defensive score and I think that pushes it over.

For my survivor pick, I’m going with the Ravens over the Lions. The Ravens have a tough schedule and play in a tough division so I may not feel as good about them later in the year and this is a good spot for them, even if they are on the road.

My Picks: Bears +7.5, over 46, Ravens (survivor)

2021 record: 1-3 (1-1 spread, 0-2 O/U, 0 strikes survivor)