Vegas Oddsmakers Concur with Public Sentiment: The Bears Rank as the NFL's Least Impressive Team
The trajectory of the 2023-24 Chicago Bears hasn't precisely followed the anticipated path.
There was a moment in the preseason when the Bears were seen as potential dark horses for the Super Bowl, with their odds improving from 80-1 to 50-1 in several sportsbooks. Early in August, Justin Fields was a popular MVP pick, receiving more than double the bets compared to any other player at some books. The acquisition of D.J. Moore and enhancements to the offensive line seemingly provided Fields with a fortified arsenal, sparking hope and expectations.
However, fast forward to the present, and the Bears stand at a dismal 0-3, recently suffering a 41-10 thrashing from the Kansas City Chiefs. Not only are they 0-3 against the spread, but they also parted ways with defensive coordinator Alan Williams, and had $100,000 worth of maintenance equipment stolen from Soldier Field. To add to the woes, Fields cited «coaching» as the root of his struggles.
Perhaps most dishearteningly, the Bears are predicted to be three-point home underdogs in their Week 4 clash against the Denver Broncos - a team that was annihilated 70-20 by the Miami Dolphins the previous Sunday.
This series of unfortunate events prompted a contemplation: Are the Bears perceived as the bottom-dwelling team of the NFL by Vegas?
When posed with this query, four Las Vegas oddsmakers resoundingly echoed the same sentiment: Absolutely. Post Week 3, all four ranked the Bears as their lowest power-rated team.
As articulated via text by Thomas Gable, the sportsbook director at The Borgata in New Jersey, «The Bears are unequivocally at the bottom. With the league's worst point differential of -59, they perform dismally on both offense and defense. Despite the bolstered offensive line, Fields remains underprotected, and his passing, plagued by crucial mistakes, hasn't shown significant improvement. With a completion rate of merely 60%, Fields can't spearhead an effective passing attack. The team, at this juncture, desperately needs an overhaul.»
Initially, the Arizona Cardinals were projected to be the weakest team. However, they've displayed competitiveness, recently clinching a 28-16 victory over the Dallas Cowboys despite being 11-point underdogs.
Other oddsmakers concurred that there's a field goal's difference in power rating between the Bears and the remainder of the NFL teams.
Chuck Esposito, the sportsbook director at Station Casinos, shared via text, «With a power rating of -8.3, the Bears are my lowest-rated team, followed by the Cardinals, Panthers, and Texans. The Bears are 2.9 points below the Cardinals.»
Commencing the season with a win total of 7.5 and Super Bowl odds of 50-1, the Bears have since seen their forecasted win total reduced to 5.5 by DraftKings Sportsbook, with increased odds leaning towards the under. Currently, they share the third-worst Super Bowl odds of 200-1 with the Carolina Panthers.
As succinctly summarized by Zachary Lucas, the director of retail trading at Twin Spires Sportsbook, the Bears are «experiencing calamities on both ends of the field.»
| POLL | ||
27 SEPTEMBRE | 49 ANSWERS Vegas Oddsmakers Concur with Public Sentiment: The Bears Rank as the NFL's Least Impressive Team Are the Bears the worst team in the NFL? | ||
| Yes | 41 | 83.7 % |
| No | 8 | 16.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
