The National Football League is kicking off its 100th season with a showdown of its biggest rivalry, as the Chicago Bears host the Green Bay Packers in the 2019 NFL Kickoff Game. It all starts on Thursday at 8:20 p.m. ET at Soldier Field, nestled just south of Downtown Chicago on the shores of Lake Michigan. Six of the last seven meetings between these teams at Soldier Field have been decided by single-digits. The Packers, however, have turned the lakeside venue into Lambeau South, winning eight of their last nine trips to Chicago and 21 of the last 26. The most recent exception, however, was a year ago, a 24-17 win that propelled the Bears to their first playoff berth and NFC North title since 2010. Chicago is favored by a field goal in the current Packers vs. Bears odds, down one from the opener. The over-under, or total number of points Vegas believes will be scored, is 47, up a half-point in the hour leading up to kickoff. You’ll want to hear what NFL expert R.J. White has to say before locking in any Bears vs. Packers picks or 2019 NFL predictions.
White has been SportsLine’s top pro football analyst for two-plus seasons. Over that span, the CBS Sports NFL editor and nationally-recognized NFL Draft expert has gone 214-164 on NFL picks against the spread, returning more than $3,200 to $100 bettors. And nobody has figured out the Packers like White. He’s hit on 24 of his last 28 picks involving Green Bay, an astonishing 86 percent success rate.
The stats guru, whose picks are coveted by fans everywhere, has cashed huge in the world’s most prestigious handicapping tournament, the Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest, twice in the past four years, and anyone who has followed his lead has reaped huge rewards.
Now, White has locked in on Packers vs. Bears in the 2019 NFL Kickoff game. He’s only sharing his pick at SportsLine.
White knows that after years of mediocrity, the Bears broke through last year with a dominant defense and resilient second-year quarterback under Nagy. Chicago went 12-4, won the NFC North, and was within one Cody Parkey double-tap of reaching the divisional round of the playoffs. Now, Chicago has adopted the motto “Chasing Great” this year with much of the same cast back. The Bears have covered their last seven games against NFC North competition and nine of 11 overall.
Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky has 31 touchdowns and 19 interceptions over the last two seasons, but he’s been at his best against the Packers. He passed for 297 yards in his fifth-ever start in 2017 and last year helped snap a five-game losing streak to Green Bay with 297 yards and a touchdown in Week 15. He’s never been picked off by the Pack in three starts.
But just because Chicago should be improved offensively and still strong on defense doesn’t mean it will cover the Bears vs. Packers spread on Thursday night.
No quarterback has given more fits to the Bears than Aaron Rodgers, who is 17-5 all-time against them with a QB rating of 103.7. To put that number into perspective, Saints quarterback Drew Brees has the second-highest rating against Chicago all-time at 95.4. In the first meeting last season, Rodgers triumphantly returned from injury to throw three fourth-quarter touchdowns, bringing the Packers back from a 20-0 deficit.
Green Bay added offensive-minded head coach Matt LaFleur to the mix and as many as four defensive starters in free agency and in the draft after ranking 22nd in points allowed. The unit should be much-improved. In addition, the Bears beat the Packers late last season, but they haven’t defeated their chief rivals twice in a row since sweeping the season series back in 2007. The Packers come to play on Thursdays, too, as they are on a 3-0-1 run against the spread.
White has broken down the depth charts of both teams. We can tell you he’s leaning under, but he’s also unearthed the critical x-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. You can see what it is, and which team to back, only at SportsLine.
Who wins Packers vs. Bears? And what critical x-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Packers vs. Bears spread you should jump on Thursday, all from the top NFL expert who’s 24-4 on Packers picks.
