Split picks for Sunday, November 8 at 8:20 PM ET, when the Buccaneers visit the Bears in Chicago, IL with the bye on deck for both teams. Ryan takes the Buccaneers +6 and Sean lays the Bears -6, the number when the guys taped on November 4. The full argument is on the NFL Picks Week 9 episode (Ep. 2722).
Buccaneers vs Bears Odds
The Bears were 6-point favorites over the Buccaneers with a total of 47.5 when the guys taped on November 4.
Our Picks
- Ryan Kramer (@KramerCentric): Buccaneers +6
- Sean Green (@SeanTGreen): Bears -6
Ryan opened with the matchup in the trenches. The Buccaneers run defense is playing at a high level, and he called Ben Johnson’s run game the common thread of the Bears season. He also thought Chicago poured more emotion than usual into its Monday night win in Seattle, with Jeffrey Simmons making his debut on that defensive front.
Sean said it will look great for the Bears anyway. He thinks Caleb Williams and the passing game will carve up Tampa Bay, which he called one-dimensional on offense. He also doubts the Buccaneers can throw it on the road. He brought trends too: by his count Ben Johnson is 8-1 ATS in primetime and has covered eight straight, a streak that dates to his Lions coordinator days, and 19-4-1 ATS in night games across his time with Detroit and Chicago. He added that the NFC South is 8-14 ATS against teams outside the division, and he pointed to DeAndre Swift’s three rushing touchdowns in Seattle. Sean admitted it was a chalky side, but he has the Bears winning easily.
Ryan took the points. He expects the Buccaneers to run the ball and stop the run, with Todd Bowles committed to the ground game and defense. He thinks Chicago likely wins but called the spread very big, and he sees a gross game with a total a little too high. Sean pushed back that Tampa Bay was off a huge division win too. Ryan called that a get-out-of-town game in ugly weather.
The last round was the letdown angle. Sean said the idea of the Bears being flat at home on Sunday Night Football is wrong. Ryan said he wasn’t calling them flat, only that a second Simmons game against a weaker opponent is a smaller moment. Sean didn’t see it and said Tampa Bay is in trouble in Chicago.
Hear the full breakdown on the NFL Picks Week 9 episode, or listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Watch every game on YouTube, and download the SGPN app at sg.pn/links. See all our NFL Picks.
