This is an inflated number. All this E.J. Manuel chatter has chumps racing to the window to throw down on the Bears. Let's remember, Manuel was not that bad last year, when healthy. Despite a lackluster preseason, I'm not convinced he suddenly became the worst starting quarterback in the history of the universe. The good thing is, he should be able to lean on a strong ground game against a very suspect Bears defense, and then take some shots with a talented WR corps.
If nothing else, the Bills can at least play some defense, especially against the pass, which will serve them well against the pass-happy attack of Trestman's Bears. They were 2nd in the league last year in sacks and return guys up front like Mario Williams (13 sacks), Kyle Williams (10.5), Jerry Hughes (10), and Marcell Dareus (7.5). They have a strong corner tandem in Stephon Gilmore and Leodis McKelvin who can at least provide some resistance against the Marshall and Jeffery combo.
The X-factor here, in my opinion, is that the Bills replaced their departed defensive coordinator with former Lions head coach Jim Schwartz, who, being from the NFC North, knows the Bears inside out.
Seven points is a pretty large number, by NFL standards, and I'm not sure it's warranted here. The Bills should be able to apply some pressure to Cutler, and if history is any indication, force him into some mistakes.
If the Bears had been a 7 point chalk in every game last year, their record against the spread would have been 2-12-2. They only beat an opponent by more than seven points TWICE all of last year.
Bills +7
If nothing else, the Bills can at least play some defense, especially against the pass, which will serve them well against the pass-happy attack of Trestman's Bears. They were 2nd in the league last year in sacks and return guys up front like Mario Williams (13 sacks), Kyle Williams (10.5), Jerry Hughes (10), and Marcell Dareus (7.5). They have a strong corner tandem in Stephon Gilmore and Leodis McKelvin who can at least provide some resistance against the Marshall and Jeffery combo.
The X-factor here, in my opinion, is that the Bills replaced their departed defensive coordinator with former Lions head coach Jim Schwartz, who, being from the NFC North, knows the Bears inside out.
Seven points is a pretty large number, by NFL standards, and I'm not sure it's warranted here. The Bills should be able to apply some pressure to Cutler, and if history is any indication, force him into some mistakes.
If the Bears had been a 7 point chalk in every game last year, their record against the spread would have been 2-12-2. They only beat an opponent by more than seven points TWICE all of last year.
Bills +7
