MetroBet takes a look at where to place your money on the Week 15 Sunday slate.
Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears (-6)
Moneyline: Packers +210, Bears -250
Betting Total: 45 points
The Packers have won nine of their last 10 games against the Bears, but a close shave against Chicago in Week 1 looks like a harbinger of a transition of power in the NFC North.
Little should be taken away from Green Bay’s thumping of a sub-par, dome-dwelling Atlanta team at frosty Lambeau Field last week just because it was their first game without Mike McCarthy at the helm since 2005. Aaron Rodgers and company are still looking for their first road win of the season (0-6, 1-4-1 ATS), and the Bears have been anything but generous hosts of late. In their last eight games at Soldier Field, Chicago is 7-1 straight-up and ATS. That includes a convincing defeat of the L.A. Rams last week, as they baited Jared Goff into four INTs.
As usual, the Bears will try to gash Green Bay on the ground with dynamic running backs Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen, who accounted for nearly 200 combined yards last week. As long as Mitchell Trubisky avoids the big mistakes (he tossed three INTs in his Sunday return), Chicago should clinch their first NFC North title since 2010.
Prediction: Bears win, 26-16
The play: Bears -6
Dallas Cowboys at Indianapolis Colts (-3)
Moneyline: Cowboys +125, Colts -145
Betting Total: 47 points
Dallas has notched five straight wins and covers, including one over the Saints two weeks ago, yet they’re underdogs as they take on the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium this Sunday.
Ezekiel Elliott has put up 100-yard games with regularity this season, but the emergence of the Cowboys’ passing attack since Amari Cooper came to town cannot be understated. He’s averaged 157.7 reception yards over his last three games. Indy’s stoppers have improved since the start of the season but are no world-beaters, as they’re 15th in points per game allowed.
Andrew Luck will be under duress with DeMarcus Lawrence and the rest of the Dallas pass rush coming after him. Eric Ebron, who’s been tremendous as the Colts’ go-to tight end this season, could have a tough time getting open in this one, as the Cowboys are in the upper third in the league in fewest yards and receptions allowed to tight ends, per oddsshark.com.
Prediction: Cowboys win, 24-20
The play: Cowboys +3
Seattle Seahawks (-3.5) at San Francisco 49ers
Moneyline: Seahawks -210, 49ers +180
Betting Total: 44 points
These teams met only two weeks ago, with Seattle once again crushing their NFC West foe, 43-16. The Seahawks have beaten San Francisco 10 straight times, and have failed to cover just twice in their last 15 meetings.
Seattle used the same formula to beat the Niners that they’ve used all season; run early and often, and bend but don’t break on defense. Chris Carson has rushed for 4.4 yards per carry in his last four games (68 attempts), while the Seahawks defense held the desperate Vikings to just seven points last Monday.
Don’t let San Fran’s upset win over Denver fool you; they’ve shown that they can give the occasional opponent a tough game this year, but they simply can’t sustain a high level of play. Russell Wilson and company should continue their dominance of the Niners this Sunday.
Prediction: Seahawks win, 24-13
The play: Seahawks -3.5
