Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers 2019: Prediction Against The Spread, Odds For NFC North Game

The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears kicked off the 2019 NFL season with a close, low-scoring matchup. Sunday’s meeting between the NFC North rivals could be more of the same when they meet at Lambeau Field.

The Packers won 10-3 at Soldier Field in Week 1. Green Bay is favored at home over Chicago by 4.5 points in Week 15, according to OddsShark. The total is 41.

Both teams have a lot on the line. Green Bay is the NFC’s No.2 seed, looking to fight off the New Orleans Saints in pursuit of a first-round bye. The Packers have a one-game lead over the Minnesota Vikings atop the NFC North.

Repeating as NFC North champions is a virtual impossibility for Chicago, who trails Green Bay by three games in the division. The Bears need a win to have any hope of staying in postseason contention. They are behind the Vikings by two games in the race for the final wild-card berth.

Fading postseason chances haven’t stopped Chicago from playing well down the stretch. The Bears are on a three-game winning streak with consecutive wins against the New York Giants, Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys.

Mitchell Trubisky is playing his best football of the season. The quarterback has his first pair of consecutive triple-digit passer ratings. Trubisky has completed 70% of his passes for 7.8 yards per attempt, 860 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions during the winning streak. He’s also rushed for two scores.

Green Bay is certainly better than any of Chicago’s recent opponents. The Bears beat the Vikings at home in Week 4 for their only victory against a team that enters Week 15 with a record above .500.

The Vikings and Bears are the only winning teams that the Packers have beaten at full strength, and those games happened all the way back in Week 1 and Week 2. Green Bay did defeat the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8, though Patrick Mahomes didn’t play because of a knee injury.

Green Bay’s offense is only 17th in yards per play. Aaron Rodgers ranks 14th with 250.8 passing yards per game. Sixteen quarterbacks are completing a higher percentage of their passes.

The Packers are probably the weakest of the NFL’s six 10-win teams. The defense is overrated after a strong start to the season against poor offenses. The unit ranks 26th in opponents’ yards per play.

Chicago ranks in the top 10 in total defense, opponents’ yards per play and opponents’ passer rating.

The Bears are fourth in points allowed and 26th in points scored.

Green Bay is averaging 12.5 points in four matchups with top-eight scoring defenses. The Packers are giving up an average of 11.8 points in four matchups with bottom-eight scoring offenses.

Sunday’s game could be decided by a field goal in either direction.

Prediction: Chicago over Green Bay 17-14