Best NFL Picks and Predictions Today (How to Bet Seahawks vs. Bears on Thursday Night Football in NFL Week 17)

The Seattle Seahawks are in the mix for a playoff spot in the NFC with two weeks left in the regular season, and they find themselves as road favorites against the Chicago Bears in a crucial Thursday Night Football matchup.

While Caleb Williams and the Bears can only play spoiler on Thursday night (they’re eliminated from playoff contention), they are looking to snap their nine-game losing streak.

There are a ton of ways to bet on this primetime matchup from the prop market to a side or total.

This week, the SI Betting team has made a bunch of picks across different markets for this standalone game, and I’ve compiled some of the best ones in one place to help bettors attack this Week 17 matchup.

Best NFL Picks and Predictions for Seahawks vs. Bears

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Seattle Seahawks -3.5 (-110) vs. Chicago Bears – Iain MacMillan
Jaxon Smith Njigba Anytime TD (+175) – Peter Dewey
D’Andre Swift UNDER 58.5 Rushing Yards (-114) – Iain MacMillan
Keenan Allen Anytime TD (+175) – Peter Dewey

Seattle Seahawks -3.5 (-110) vs. Chicago Bears – Iain MacMillan

SI Betting’s NFL betting insider Iain MacMillan is confident in the Seahawks this week, as they need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive:

Let's not overthink this play. I'm going to lay the points on the Seahawks, who are the far superior team in this matchup.

The Bears' defense, which was a strength in the first half of the season, has been abysmal of late. Dating back to Week 11, they rank 30th in the NFL in both opponent EPA per play and opponent success rate. The Seahawks defense ranks third and 11th in those two respective stats in the same time frame.

I'm not going to put much stock into the Bears' offensive performance against a banged-up Lions team in Week 16. This is a lopsided affair and the Seahawks have multiple ways to win and cover in Chicago on Thursday night.

Jaxon Smith Njigba Anytime TD (+175) – Peter Dewey

Earlier this week, I wrote up a pair of anytime touchdown scorer picks for this game at SI Betting, and second-year receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has a ton of value at this price:

Second-year receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has found the end zone five times in the last seven weeks, and he scored again in Week 16, catching eight passes for 95 yards against the Minnesota Vikings.

JSN now has back-to-back games with 12 targets, and the Bears defense was torched last week by the Lions, with Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta finding the end zone.

There are a lot of mouths to feed in this Seattle offense, but JSN is making a case that he’s the No. 1 receiver, playing 88 percent of the snaps or more in three straight games while finishing with 82 or more yards in each of those matchups.

D’Andre Swift UNDER 58.5 Rushing Yards (-114) – Iain MacMillan

If you’re looking for a prop to bet in this game, MacMillan thinks this is a matchup to fade Bears running back D’Andre Swift on Thursday.

The Seahawks' run defense has been fantastic lately, ranking sixth in opponent rush EPA and seventh in opponent rush success rate since Week 10. They've also allowed just 4.2 yards per carry over their last three games.

The Bears are likely going to increase their pass play rate in the final two weeks to give Caleb Williams as many reps as possible. If that happens, I expect D'Andre Swift's carries to be reduced, leading to a low rushing yards total.

Keenan Allen Anytime TD (+175) – Peter Dewey

Can veteran Keenan Allen stay hot? He’s a player I like to find the end zone in Week 17 on Thursday night:

Veteran receiver Keenan Allen has really come on for the Bears as of late, catching nine passes for 141 yards and a score against Detroit in Week 16.

He’s been targeted 13 times in each of the last two weeks, putting up 223 receiving yards and two scores over that stretch.

Allen has five scores (across four games) in his last five matchups, and he’s up to seven total on the season. Williams clearly trusts the veteran, targeting him 54 times over that stretch, including three games with 13 or more targets.

That type of usage is too good to pass up at nearly 2/1 odds.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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