Bears vs Buccaneers Prediction - NFL Picks 9/17/23

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The Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers face off on Sunday in a Week 2 NFL showdown at Raymond James Stadium. 

Bears Defense Needs Help

The Bears defense needs to find a way to sure things up, or this is going to be a very long season for them again. In the first game of the season, the Bears offense scored 20 points but the defense gave up 38 points and that led to the defeat. The Bears defense gave up 28 points in the second half. Justin Fields did have a strong game completing 24 of his 37 passes for 216 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. One thing the Bears need to improve is with the run game outside of Fields. Khalil Herbert was the top rusher finishing with nine carries for 57 yards. 

Bears Betting Trends

  • The Bears have lost each of their last 12 games against NFC opponents.
  • The Bears have failed to cover the spread in eight of their last nine games against NFC opponents.
  • The Bears have lost the first half in 12 of their last 13 September games as road underdogs against NFC opponents.
  • The Bears have won the first quarter in each of their last two September games as road underdogs.
  • The Bears have scored the first touchdown in six of their last seven Week 2 games.

Mayfield Resurrecting Career

Baker Mayfield might not be the best quarterback in the league, but if he plays all season like he did in Week 1, he’s got many more years left in the NFL. Baker Mayfield made winning plays late and the Buccaneers were able to beat the Minnesota Vikings 20-17 in the first game. Baker Mayfield completed 21 of his 34 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. The Buccaneers also need to improve the running game here. The top rusher for Tampa Bay was Rachaad White and he finished with 17 carries for 39 yards. The defense forced a couple key turnovers in the last game and in this game the defense is going to need to step up here. 

Buccaneers Betting Trends

  • The Buccaneers have won each of their last six Week 2 games.
  • The Buccaneers have covered the spread in each of their last six Week 2 games.
  • The Buccaneers have lost the first quarter in six of their last seven games as favorites following a win.
  • The Buccaneers have won the first half in seven of their last eight September games as home favorites against NFC opponents.
  • The Buccaneers have scored the first touchdown in each of their last four home games against the Bears.

Bears vs Buccaneers Facts

  • The Buccaneers ranked 1st in the NFC South for passing yards per game last season (269.8)
  • The Buccaneers ranked 1st in the NFC for passing yards per game last season (269.8)
  • The Bears ranked 32nd in the NFL in passing yards per game (130.5) last season
  • The Bears ranked 32nd in the NFL in sacks (20.0) last season

Shane’s Free Pick

The Bears looked awful in the first game, but I think thye are going to bounce back here. Mayfield looked decent in the first game but he still only threw for 173 yards. The Vikings made a lot of mistakes and that led to the Buccaneers winning the game. The Bears are going to get a good game from Justin Fields and that is going to be the difference and Mayfield is going to take a step back. Back the Bears against the spread. 

The pick in this article is the opinion of the writer, not a PickDawgz site consensus.

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