NFL - Bears v Packers

13 December 2009

Preview By Tipster Jumbo (New Zealand)

The Green Bay Packers are hitting their stride at the right time, Led by the NFL's top defense, the Packers look to win their fifth straight and move closer to a playoff berth Sunday when they visit the rival Chicago Bears.

The Bears sit at 5-7 and are losers of six of eight, had high hopes for this season but will likely miss the playoffs for the third straight year since their run to the Super Bowl.Last Sunday's 17-9 victory over St. Louis snapped a four-game losing streak. A banged-up offensive line has made life difficult for Cutler and Forte. Cutler has thrown a league-worst and career-high 20 interceptions, while Forte is averaging 3.4 yards per carry, fourth-worst in the NFL for backs with at least 100 rushes.Forte ran for 91 yards on 24 carries against the hapless Rams while Cutler threw for 143 yards - 131 in the first quarter - and a touchdown without an interception last week. Chicago's offense would suffer without receiver Devin Hester in the lineup, but his status is in question. He caught a 48-yard pass against the Rams before leaving with a calf injury in the third quarter. The Bears also could be without Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs for a second straight week due to a sprained left knee. Chicago, which hasn't been swept in a season series with the Packers since 2003, has won three of the last four meetings at Soldier Field.

A month ago the Packers were 4-4 and reeling from a loss to Tampa, The Packers' playoff chances seemed to be slipping away, but the team turned things around now. Green Bay has won four in a row since that loss and now owns one of the NFC's wild-card spots after Monday night's 27-14 win over Baltimore.The Packers Offensive line has had real troubles protecting Rodgers but last week against the Ravens' defense the line went well with the ravens only sacking Rodgers once, the offensive line is doing a better job of protecting Rodgers and. Green Bay has allowed eight sacks during the winning streak after giving up 37 in the first eight games and the benefits are telling with Rodgers having passed for 1,144 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions during the winning streak.The defense is also continuing last week Against the Ravens, the Packers forced four turnovers and allowed 185 total yards. The defense is ranked No. 1 in the league for fewest yards allowed at 287.3 per game and has been superb against the run. Green Bay allowed 66 yards on the ground Monday, and is giving up an average of 67.3 rushing yards in the last four games. In the first game under the new defense, the Packers held Matt Forte to 55 yards on 25 carries and intercepted Jay Cutler four times in a 21-15 win over Chicago in Week 1.

The Bears are 6-4 in their last 10 matches against the Packers but are 4-5-1 ATS in those meetings, In Chicago the Bears have won 3 of their last 4 when facing the Packers and are 2-3 ATS in those meetings, Total wise and the Total has been passed in 4 of the last 10 matches between these two sides while of the 5 matches in Chicago the set total has been passed in only 2 of those 5 matches.

The Bears are 1-4 in their last 5 games but are 7-2 in their last 9 at home, but they are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 matches at any venue, The Packers are 4-0 in their last 4 matches and are 4-2 ATS in their last 6 road matches, The total has fallen under in 5 of the packers last 7 when playing the Bears and in their last 15 against the Bears in Chicago the Packers are 12-3.

The Bears have won only 1 of their last 5 matches and have scored 21 or less in their last 5 games while allowing over 24 points in 3 of their last 5 but they have only allowed over 10 points in 2 of their last 3 hoe matches, On the other side the Packers have won their last 4 matches and have scored 26 or more in 4 of their last 5 matches, they have allowed over 14 points in only 1 of their last 4 matches.

The Packers win every single aspect of the game compared to what the Bears can offer on their season, the Packers score on average 7 more points than the Bears and allow 4 points less on their season, they throw for 40 more yards and rush for 40 more yards than the Bears do and in defence they allow 27 yards less through the air and 50 yards less on the rush, so the Packers based on season averages should win this game well.

The Packers are on a roll and really should win this game, the bears are really not good and even with Cutler they have really failed this season to make ends meat in many of their games, I really don’t want to write the Bears off here but you would have to think that the Packers can keep the good times coming today and so we’ll stick with them to cover the 3.5 start from Pinnacle…Good Luck.