We’ll break down the Seahawks vs. Bears predictions and odds to formulate our best bet for this Thursday Night Football battle between NFC foes.
However, there’s more than meets the eye with this matchup. ESPN will carry the broadcast, meaning Troy Aikman and Joe Buck will make their debut on the network after transitioning from FOX in the offseason. For that reason alone, we ranked this game in our Top 7 Preseason Games Worth Watching list.
So let’s dive into the odds to uncover some Bears vs. Seahawks predictions for Thursday night.
Seahawks vs. Bears Predictions
For my NFL preseason Week 2 predictions, I’ll be placing these wagers at DraftKings Sportsbook.
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Seahawks vs. Bears Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bears | +3.5 (-110) | +155 | O 40 (-110) |
| @ Seahawks | -3.5 (-110) | -180 | U 40 (-110) |
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 4 p.m. on Aug. 17.
Game Info
- Date: Thursday, August 18
- Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Lumen Field (Seattle, WA)
- TV: ESPN
Seahawks vs. Bears Trends
Let’s take a look at some relevant betting trends for the Bears vs. Seahawks as well as the NFL preseason in general:
- The Seahawks lost their first preseason game 32-25 at Pittsburgh.
- The Bears won their first preseason game 19-14 vs. Kansas City.
- Seattle HC Pete Carroll is 26-18 in the preseason with the Seahawks.
- Underdogs are 53.5% against the spread in the NFL preseason in the previous ten years.
- As of Wednesday afternoon, DraftKings reports that 50% of tickets and 63% of the money are on the underdog Bears against the spread.
- DraftKings also reports that 54% of betting tickets and 67% of the handle have selected Under 39 total points.
- The Over is 14-3 in preseason games this year.
Light Work For Chicago’s Top Strings
Most of these preseason games are decided by two factors: 1) how long are the starters playing, and 2) how much depth does a team have. That second point especially holds true for the quarterback position. Does a team have a capable signal caller who can move an offense down the field against third-and-fourth team defenders in the final quarter?
To answer that first question, we can expect the Bears to play their starters for around 6-10 snaps. So basically, that’s one drive…two if they encounter a three-and-out.
Due to the short week, Coach Eberflus plans to play starters 6-10 snaps in Thursday's preseason matchup against Seattle. https://t.co/uTAlRTCKeD
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 16, 2022
Even the backups apparently have a pitch count, as Eberflus said: “other guys might get 20 plays and we’ll yank them from there. And then the young guys will get a lot of reps.”
Chicago’s depth looked good last Saturday (or at least better than Kansas City), scoring 19 second-half points to overcome the Chiefs 19-14. Trevor Siemian and Nathan Peterman will continue to take most of the snaps.
Seattle QB Battle On Hold
The Seahawks are not a great team. Almost every pundit has them picked to finish last in the NFC West. After all, they are in the midst of a starting quarterback battle between Drew Lock and Geno Smith.
That will be put on hold this week, as Lock will sit out due to a positive Covid test.
Drew Lock felt under the weather after practice Tuesday, which led to Covid test and positive result. Didn’t report any symptoms prior to practice, Pete says. He can come back next week. Geno will start tomorrow. Jacob Eason will play in second half.
— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) August 17, 2022
This changes things. Lock (11-15, 102 yd, 2 TD) and Smith (10-15, 101 yd, 0 TD) had identical stat lines last week as the only two quarterbacks to take a snap for the Seahawks.
The Seahawks will have less firepower (and motivation) without Lock in the mix. Seattle’s defense clearly had problems while giving up 32 points to the Steelers last week, and now their offense has taken a hit.
Seahawks vs. Bears Predictions
I had a difficult time rationalizing the Seahawks by more than a field goal, then the Drew Lock news dropped. You could’ve made the case that Seattle’s QB battle would fuel them to a four-plus point home victory, but that reasoning is no longer valid.
We like taking underdogs of more than a field goal in the preseason anyway, so let’s take a spin on the Bears +3.5 here. Trevor Siemien is a competent backup quarterback, and Nathan Peterman wasn’t a total disaster against third and fourth-stringers last Saturday.
Also, the Bears kept Kansas City’s backups out of the end-zone in the second half of preseason game No. 1.
Give me the points!
Pick 1: Bears +3.5 | -110 at DraftKings Sportsbook
Playing on a short week while limiting reps for the starters (and some backups). Drew Lock is out. Even though the preseason has been full of Overs up to this point, this game screams Under.
Pick 2: Under 40 total points | -110 at DraftKings Sportsbook
Remember To Grab Your $200 In Free Bets
New to DraftKings Sportsbook? Then take advantage of this outstanding welcome offer:
Simply bet $5+ on any NFL or NCAAF game and get $200 in free bets instantly.
This promotion expires on September 19 – so act now!
Tackle this special offer through our exclusive link OR click the image below.
