NFL experts’ confidence in Bears creates trap-game feel vs. Browns in Week 15

Sometimes, too much confidence is a bad thing. And there's a lot of it in the Chicago Bears in Week 15.

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Confidence is a great thing. But too much confidence can be a path toward failure. And NFL experts have a scary amount of confidence in the Chicago Bears entering Week 15's game against the Cleveland Browns.

According to NFL Pick Watch, 97% of experts who picked this game have the Bears winning.

Yep, that's really close to 100%.

Almost too close.

Sure, the Bears are 9-4 and, as of a week ago, were the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. Their loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 14 dropped them to the 7th seed, but the point remains.

Meanwhile, the Browns are 3-10 and fresh off a loss to arguably the worst team in the NFL, the Tennessee Titans (2-11).

But after throwing for 364 yards and three touchdowns last week, Browns QB Shedeur Sanders has sparked at least a flicker of fear that he could pull off the unthinkable and upend the Bears in a classic trap game the week before Chicago's rematch against the Green Bay Packers.

Indeed, that is probably unfounded. The Bears have been significantly better than the Browns on offense in just about every major statistical category.

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Chicago ranks 8th in points per game (25.7). The Browns are 29th (17.2). The Bears' average of 217 passing yards per game ranks 14th, while the Browns' 174 yards per game ranks 29th. There's no contest in the running game, either. Chicago ranks second with 153 rushing yards per game. Cleveland is 27th (96 yards per game).

Defense is a slightly different story, however. The Browns rank 17th in points allowed per game (23.2), while the Bears are 25th (25.8). Cleveland boasts the top pass defense in the NFL, averaging just 165.2 yards per game. The Bears are 21st (224.8 yards per game). And, yes, the Browns' run defense is better. It ranks 13th in the NFL (107.7 yards allowed per game); the Bears are 27th (132.5 yards per game).

Week 15 will come down to the Bears' offense carrying the load -- literally. Expect a heavy dose of D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai in a ground-and-pound attack that should ultimately make those 97% percent of experts look smart.

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