Bear Digest

Vegas still isn't buying into what the Bears are selling

The sportsbooks don't appear to be believers in Chicago.
Jerry Markarian|
Dec 7, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson looks on during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Dec 7, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson looks on during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

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The Bears currently sit at 11-5 and will be either the NFC's second or third seed, depending on whether they win tomorrow. That puts them in a position where they are guaranteed one home playoff game, and they'd host another if they can come away with a win in the Wildcard Round.

The sportsbooks don't appear to like their odds in that regard, though. Barring an utterly dominant performance against Detroit (or a flat performance from one of their potential opponents), they are slated to be home underdogs in every potential wildcard matchup.

I'm not really surprised that they'd be underdogs against the Rams. Even with them stumbling in recent weeks, they're one of the league's most talented teams. I'm also not really surprised to see the 49ers being slightly favored since they beat Chicago last Sunday. However, I do like the Bears' odds of coming out with a win at Soldier Field, where they've played much better on the defensive side of the ball this year.

With that said, I'm surprised to see them being early underdogs against Green Bay. They're the most likely matchup for the Bears, as they would have to lose tomorrow, and the Eagles would have to win for a different outcome.

The Bears are simply a better team than the Packers right now. All of their aura left when Micah Parsons went down with a torn ACL in Week 15, and they haven't won a game without him. Their pass rush leaves much to be desired, and their coverage on the back end has also been lacking without him constantly pressuring opposing QBs.

Chicago beat Green Bay two weeks ago, and took the 49ers, one of the hottest teams in the league, down to the wire. Meanwhile, Green Bay is coming off a blowout loss to the Tyler Huntley-led Ravens (I know, the Bears did the same thing two months ago). They are seemingly going in two vastly different trajectories.

While I can't make sense of the odds, I'm honestly not mad at them. Ben Johnson has an opportunity to use the odds as bulletin board material. "We have 12 wins, and they still don't believe in us."

If the Bears/Packers Wild Card matchup does come to fruition, I wouldn't be surprised to see a similar situation to the one we saw before their second matchup. The Packers entered the week as 3-point favorites before the line moved in Chicago's favor throughout the week. The Bears were 1.5-point favorites at kickoff.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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Jerry Markarian
JERRY MARKARIAN

Jerry Markarian has been an avid Chicago Bears fan since 2010 and has been writing about the team since 2022. He has survived the 2010 NFC Championship Game, a career-ending injury to his favorite player (Johnny Knox), the Bears' 2013 season finale, a Double Doink, Mitchell Trubisky, Justin Fields, and Weeks 8-17 of the 2024 NFL season. Nevertheless, he still Bears Down!

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