Bears vs. Lions Updated Odds and Prediction: What Bettors Need to Know

Not a lot of people are excited for the first game on the NFL's Thanksgiving slate this year. Lions vs. Bears might have been cool in the 60s, but these days they're two bottom feeders trying to figure out what they need to do this offseason to maybe be competitive in 2022.

Still, any game can be exciting when you throw a few bucks on it, which is what I plan on doing to get turkey day off to a roaring start. Below I have a prediction for the game and odds. This might not be the filet mignon of the NFL season, but hopefully you enjoy it with a few more bucks in your pocket! All odds come from WynnBET.

Bears vs. Lions Spread, Odds, and Total

Spread:

• Bears: -3.0 (-115)
• Lions: +3.0 (-105)

Moneyline:

• Bears: -160
• Lions: +140

Total:

• 41.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Bears vs. Lions Betting Trends

• Bears are 1-4 ATS in their last five games.
• The UNDER is 7-2 in the Bears' last nine games.
• Bears are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games against the Lions.
• The UNDER is 7-1 in the Lions last eight games.
• Lions are 3-14 ATS in their last 17 games played in Week 12.

Bears vs. Lions Prediction and Pick

My pick here is from a prop bet story I wrote that includes David Montgomery as the first TD scorer with +350 odds at WynnBET It's a bit of a long shot so sprinkle lightly. Here's my reasoning:

The Lions give up the second-most rushing yards in the NFL and are 25th in rushing TDs allowed per game. The Bears run for the sixth most yards per game and average just under one rushing TD per game. Montgomery hasn't scored a TD in two straight games and with Andy Dalton starting in place of Justin Fields, I get the feeling the Bears will want to establish the run early and often. Montgomery is -286 to score a TD in this game overall, but I'd rather get him at plus odds and take the risk that he'll be the first TD scorer.

If you're looking to play the over/under, here's what Iain MacMillian discussed in his prediction for this game.

The Lions rank 29th in opponent yards per play, and while you might assume that the Bears defense is a dominant unit, that's not necessarily true. They rank 14th in opponent yards per play, 25th in opponent yards per rush attempt, and 15th in opponent yards per carry.

If sportsbooks are going to set a total at the low mark of 41.5, both defenses better be among the best in the NFL. That's not the case here, so I'm going to back the OVER in this Thanksgiving Day matchup.