Thursday Night Football: Seahawks-Bears betting preview (odds, lines, best bets)

Seattle Seahawks (-3.5) vs. Chicago Bears [Total: 43.5]

Game Overview

The Bears' catastrophic slide continues after their third straight blowout loss since parting ways with head coach Matt Eberflus — and their ninth consecutive loss overall. Since the start of December, the Bears have failed to cover in three straight, losing each by three or more scores and clocking a -43.5-point against-the-spread margin.

Since Chicago elevated Thomas Brown to the role of interim head coach, the roster has not responded with inspired play on either side of the ball, possessing bottom-five ranked EPA per play marks on offense (29th) and defense (32nd).

On the other sideline, the Seahawks are holding onto their playoff aspirations that continue to dwindle with each passing loss. After covering four straight, Seattle dropped its final two home games and now heads on the road to salvage its postseason hopes.

While the Seahawks own a 4-1-1 against-the-spread record on the road this season, just one of those matchups came as the favorite: their Week 2 game in New England that ended as a push on the 3-point spread.

A win in this one paired with a loss for the Rams would open the door for Seattle’s path to the postseason, with a winner-take-all matchup with Los Angeles in Week 18.

QB Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks: Under 34.5 Pass Attempts (-108)

Although Smith ranks fourth in passing attempts this season and managed to pile up 43 in last week’s shootout with Minnesota, massive passing volume hasn’t been this team’s M.O. in recent weeks. Since returning from their Week 10 bye, the Seahawks rank 14th in pass play percentage (64.4%), down from their top-three rate prior to the break. In those six games following the bye, Smith has exceeded 34 attempts just once.

Given the overtly ineffective approach to offensive production, the Bears don’t pose much of a threat to keep the score competitive. With the game script leaning toward a sizable Seattle lead, expect the running game to take center stage to run out the clock.