Seattle Seahawks (0-1 SU, 0-0-1 ATS) vs. Chicago Bears (0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS)
Week 2 NFL
Date/Time: Monday Night Football, September 17, 2018 at 8:15PM EDT
Where: Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
TV: ESPN
By Loot Levinson, NFL Football Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
Betting Odds: SEA +3/CHI -3
Over/Under Total: 43.5
The Seattle Seahawks come to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football in week two NFC action. Each team lost narrowly on Sunday, with Seattle losing by a field goal to Denver, 27-24. The Bears, meanwhile, lost on Sunday Night Football to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in an epic comeback that didn't go their way. It was a painful way to start the season for the upstart Bears, but they can help make that a memory with a good home-win this week.
Everything was looking great for the Bears on Sunday night. Both sides of the ball were doing well. When newly-added defensive difference-maker Khalil Mack took a pick back for a TD to make it 17-0, it was hard to find a source of optimism for Green Bay. After teams traded field goals in the third quarter to make it 20-3, things looked relatively in-hand. Then Rodgers returned after an injury and started hitting with big plays. Three touchdowns later, including a late 75-yard strike to Randall Cobb, it was curtains and the Bears were sent packing from Lambeau 0-1 and probably not feeling all-that-great about it.
Chicago is undoubtedly a rising team. Their defense is already on schedule, adding Mack to a group that was already a top-ten unit from last season—and that was without much support on offense. Some additions on that side of the ball were supposed to help bring Mitchell Trubisky around and make the Bears a more-complete team and a possible darkhorse threat. But for them to squander some of the strongest momentum you've ever seen and lose a game like that shows this is a process. The defense wasn't at all clutch and the offense grinded to a halt late in the game. They need to learn how to finish because you weren't going to find many people who thought they were going to lose that game when Rodgers was being carted off and it was all Bears.
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Let's not get too down on the Bears, though. Some of the additions on offense will help and make an underrated back in Jordan Howard more impactful. Newly-added receivers Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel were seen getting into the swing of things in week one. Mack is a difference-maker on a defense that has a lot of options. Rookie Roquan Smith had a sack in his debut, as did Mack and Akiem Hicks. Sure, they allowed Rodgers to take over late with three TDs in the final quarter, but that's not going to happen every week.
The Seahawks weren't that impressive in week one, albeit in a harder-than-it-looks road assignment out-of-conference at Mile High. A lot of what we suspected with Seattle came to pass to some extent against Denver. But the Denver defense had a really good game, especially Von Miller who was all over the field making trouble. If not for him, the Seahawks would have won. Still, we see a team struggling to find its identity since losing most of its former power.
Chris Carson and rookie Rashad Penny could end up being saviors to the Seattle running-game, but it wasn't easy against Denver on Sunday. Russell Wilson, much more aerially-inclined than he once was, threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns, connecting well on scoring strikes with TE Will Dissly and receivers Tyler Lockett and first-year Seahawk Brandon Marshall, but he threw a pair of picks. On defense, there were some big plays, with Earl Thomas quickly effective after a holdout with a pick, along with Bradley McDougald who had two picks. Still, there's not a lot about this team that resembles the powerhouse of not too long ago.
It doesn't mean this latest incarnation of the Seahawks can't be effective. A nine-win team from last season, some of it did work in 2017. Wilson might be better in more of a dual-threat mode, especially if he had a go-to back upon which to rely. But he has shown he has a flair for aerial antics as well, leading the NFL in TD passes last season. And a lot of those guys who ended up being stars on Seattle's defense were developmental players at first. Maybe Carroll and staff can create more monsters. Sure, this might prove to be a rough season for the Seahawks, but I don't think they're going to be that bad.
The long week helps both teams. It's a rough start to the season for a team like the Seahawks, having to go to Denver then Chicago in consecutive weeks to open their campaign. Chicago could use whatever extra time they can get to lick their wounds physically but especially psychologically after falling apart against the Packers. That's a tough pill to swallow any week, but it's really tough for an opening-week result. We'll see how they bounce back on MNF.
It seems weird to say this and it's been a long time since this statement held any credence, but Chicago's defense might be the better group in this matchup. Offensively, Seattle has more overall explosive-potential perhaps, but Chicago's run-game gives them a more-varied attack. This game comes down to mistakes and execution. I see a very competitive game unfolding on MNF, with Seattle doing enough to get the cover.
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