261 Denver +1 1/2 (5dimes)
The Bears look like a team that's a respectable mess. They have a coach who is competent, but not spectacular, and the players don't look like they've fully bought into his methodology. In watching their games last year, they always seemed to play a completely reactive game, never anticipating what was about happen next. Jay Cutler was his usual self last year, putting up somewhat respectable stats without winning any big games. Yards passing can be an extremely deceptive statistic since quarterbacks tend to throw more when the team is losing. Overall, they're a team that knows they won't be able to compete with Green Bay and Minnesota this year, and it's hard to picture them being enthusiastic enough to play well.
Denver is moving in a completely different direction. They're underrated by the market because of uncertainty at quarterback. Anyone who watched their games last year (both Manning and Osweiler starts) knows that they won despite their quarterback play, not because of it. They ran the ball, didn't turn it over, and play great defense and special teams. A team that good at fundamentals will always be better than the sum of its parts. As for this game, Lynch probably won't be asked to do anything other than hand the ball off and make short passes. Sanchez and Siemian should be able to move the ball against the backups on defense for the Bears.
Denver has at least a slight edge in every phase of this game and should win here.
The Bears look like a team that's a respectable mess. They have a coach who is competent, but not spectacular, and the players don't look like they've fully bought into his methodology. In watching their games last year, they always seemed to play a completely reactive game, never anticipating what was about happen next. Jay Cutler was his usual self last year, putting up somewhat respectable stats without winning any big games. Yards passing can be an extremely deceptive statistic since quarterbacks tend to throw more when the team is losing. Overall, they're a team that knows they won't be able to compete with Green Bay and Minnesota this year, and it's hard to picture them being enthusiastic enough to play well.
Denver is moving in a completely different direction. They're underrated by the market because of uncertainty at quarterback. Anyone who watched their games last year (both Manning and Osweiler starts) knows that they won despite their quarterback play, not because of it. They ran the ball, didn't turn it over, and play great defense and special teams. A team that good at fundamentals will always be better than the sum of its parts. As for this game, Lynch probably won't be asked to do anything other than hand the ball off and make short passes. Sanchez and Siemian should be able to move the ball against the backups on defense for the Bears.
Denver has at least a slight edge in every phase of this game and should win here.