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Former Bears coach Matt Nagy returns to Soldier Field for the first time since being dismissed by the organization in the offseason when the Chicago Bears host the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 of the 2022 NFL preseason on Saturday. After going 34-31 in four seasons with the Bears, including a 6-11 record last year, Nagy was fired in January and replaced by Matt Eberflus. One month later, Nagy landed as quarterbacks coach at Kansas City, where he was an assistant for five seasons prior to being hired by the Bears.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET. Chicago is a 3.5-point favorite in the latest Bears vs. Chiefs odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 35. Before locking in any Chiefs vs. Bears picks or 2022 NFL preseason predictions, make sure you check out what SportsLine NFL expert Larry Hartstein has to say.
A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed while working for Pro Football Focus. Entering the 2022 NFL season, he is 427-344 all-time on NFL sides (plus $3,764 for $100 players), including 394-330 on NFL picks against the spread. Hartstein went 68-50 ATS (58 percent) and 8-3 on money-line plays last season for a profit of $1,552.
Now, Hartstein has locked in on Chiefs vs. Bears from every angle and released a confident against-the-spread pick. You can visit SportsLine now to see his picks and analysis. Here are several NFL odds and trends for Bears vs. Chiefs:
- Chiefs vs. Bears spread: Chicago -3.5
- Chiefs vs. Bears over-under: 35 points
- Chiefs vs. Bears money line: Chicago -170, Kansas City +145
- CHI: Robert Quinn set a franchise record with 18.5 sacks last season.
- KC: Chiefs ranked third in total offense in 2021 (396.8 yards per game).
- Chiefs vs. Bears picks: See picks at SportsLine
Featured Game | Chicago Bears vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Why the Bears can cover
Unlike many NFL teams that avoid playing starters at all in the first preseason game, Chicago’s staff plans to play the Bears first-teamers on Saturday. Eberflus is in the process of installing new schemes on both sides of the ball and said last week that he wants to get his starters “a good amount” of snaps against the Chiefs. That includes quarterback Justin Fields, who went 14-of-20 passing for 142 yards and a touchdown and added 33 rushing yards and a touchdown in last year’s preseason opener.
In addition, Chicago faces a Kansas City team that clearly has bigger goals this season than winning a preseason game. The Chiefs are looking to return to the Super Bowl after losing in the AFC Championship Game last season. Their goal is to be ready for September, and beyond, as opposed to just Saturday.
Why the Chiefs can cover
Kansas City’s defense finished last season playing well. After allowing 31.3 points per game and 7.1 yards per play over the first five games of last season (both were the most in the NFL), the Chiefs gave up just 16.8 points per game and 5.4 yards per play over the final 12 regular season games. Yards per game allowed also dropped from 437.4 to 340.4.
In addition, Kansas City faces a Chicago team that traded away Khalil Mack in the offseason. One of the best pass rushers in the NFL, Mack led the Bears in sacks for three straight seasons (2018-20) before an injury ended his 2021 season early. Chicago traded him to the Chargers in the offseason, but did not add any significant pieces to replace Mack’s production.
How to make Bears vs. Chiefs picks
Now, Hartstein has broken down Bears vs. Chiefs from every angle. He’s leaning Under the total, and he’s found a critical x-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back on Saturday. He’s sharing what it is, and whom to back, only at SportsLine.
So who wins Chiefs vs. Bears? And what critical factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Bears vs. Chiefs spread you should jump on Saturday, all from the expert who is up more than $3,700, and find out.
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