Bears vs. Buccaneers Preview: Picks, Odds and Analysis

Let's just preview the final game on the slate today. It will be Tampa Bay against Chicago. You know, I'll reiterate everything from the beginning of the season. I still think the Bears are the team to beat. Still think they're the team to probably go to the Super Bowl and probably win the Super Bowl. But sometimes there are spots on a board that aren't the best. The Bears are throttling and derailing everyone. They're six-and-a-half-point favorites over Tampa Bay. But let's remember, Joe, that they're not going to win and cover every game this season. I suspect there's a great shot for them to win and cover this game. But the Bucs are a very peculiar team. They just are hell-bent now. And I know the weather was horrible last week. We talked about that before the game. But they have just decided, hey, we're giving Bucky Irving 30 carries a game. We're going to give Gainwell 10. And Baker Mayfield may throw 5 or 10 passes. For whatever reason, that's the secret sauce to making that work. Now, Joe, the issue for that, for the Bears, covering not winning, but covering the 6.5, is if this is the Bucs' game plan, You don't really have to do much to cover seven points in the NFL if you're running the ball 30 to 40 times. I do suspect the Bears win this one, but I don't know. Something about this one tells You know, check back in fourth quarter, game on the line, game tied. Bears need to make a play or two. And also the other thing for me is that I'm a buy low, sell high guy. And this is the high right now for the Bears, I think. Look, I don't know how much higher it's going to get. Everybody's on the Bears bandwagon at this point. So it's a pass for me, but I would lean toward the points with the Bucs. But I do think the Bears can win. Normally, I would agree wholeheartedly with you. But Baker Mayfield is the... As the underdog is always where I like to live, just not right now. I am not sold that Baker Mayfield is healthy. I think he's come back early from this thumb issue and he had 67 yards passing in that first game in return. And I know last week the weather was really poor. They had zero yards passing last week. So is this a combination of where maybe just weird game scripts and odd things happening? Or is this more we're hiding Baker Mayfield? He's not healthy, but we want him under center as opposed to some undrafted rookie. I don't know the answer to that. So I'll take the Bears with the six and a half there because I do think the Bears are the class. And I think that Simmons acquisition has just changed the dynamic of the leadership on that defense to a very high degree.