For the first time since the Super Bowl, the NFL is back in prime time this weekend when the Buffalo Bills travel to Chicago to face the Bears on a nationally televised game Sunday night.
Both teams are hoping they’ll be competing in this year’s marquee game. The Bills have been on the cusp multiple times, but the Bears will be looking for first-year head coach Ben Johnson to cash in on their young talent.
Speaking of cashing in, what can bettors expect in Sunday’s game? We’ll cover that and provide our best bets for Buffalo and Chicago in their second preseason game on Sunday night.
Johnson said earlier this week that every Chicago player will see the field on Sunday night. That’s great news for Bears fans coming out or tuning in to see their young stars in action on Sunday.
The most anticipated performance will be second-year quarterback Caleb Williams’ play. His rookie season was a struggle, but analysts saw the flashes of brilliance that made him the 2024 NFL Draft’s top pick.
Expect Johnson to showcase his young signal-caller on Sunday night in this marquee preseason game. Take Williams to cash in on the first drive by throwing a touchdown, earning bettors some cash in the process.
The expectation in this game is both squads will put their best foot forward for one or two drives before inserting their bench. The biggest reasons for this strategy are to identify which backups both franchises will keep for the 2025 campaign and keep their starters injury-free.
That strategy benefits the defenses in this contest. Expect this to be a low-scoring affair with few offensive highlights after the first quarter. Take the under on this game’s total points.
While Johnson is committing to play all of his starters, Buffalo coach Sean McDermott hasn’t tipped his hat to his plans. That’s bad news for bettors looking to make money off the arm and legs of Bills star quarterback Josh Allen.
Instead, bettors should jump over to the futures section of their favorite sportsbook and take Buffalo to win the AFC East crown. With New England and New York in rebuild modes, Miami offers the Bills their stiffest competition. Take the decent odds for a future payday.
Chicago has a lot to prove this year, and Johnson - who should have significant leeway in his first head-coaching opportunity - still needs to start fast by picking up victories where he can to build a winning culture.
Buffalo is in a significantly different situation. The Bills are gunning for a Super Bowl run this year, and keeping their top talent on the field to start is foremost on their mind. That’s why bettors should take the Bears to win this game and easily cover this field goal spread.