Justin to have a Fields day Sunday

Friday for us is a day of preparation for the football weekend that awaits us. We've got some massive college games tomorrow and betting value in a few pockets on NFL Sunday. It should be another great weekend of sports here — don't forget, the World Cup is about to begin too!

Chicago Bears +3

We love what Justin Fields has been doing over the past three weeks. He has racked up 826 yards of total offense and 11 touchdowns, turning the ball over just once. Despite the fireworks, Chicago has dropped three straight games. However, the past two have had the Bears right in it; they lost to a very good Dolphins team 35-32 and then fell 31-30 to Detroit in Week 10.

This is the week we see the Bears grabbing a win, but to be safe, we'll opt for the spread and take Chicago +3. Since starting the year 6-0 ATS, the Falcons have not looked good, failing to cover the spread in four straight and going 1-3 in that stretch. Their most recent loss was a tough defeat at the hands of the Panthers, one of the worst teams in the NFL. Besides a 28-14 win over the 49ers, the other four home games for Atlanta have all been decided by three points or less. With the Bears on the upswing and the Falcons lacking much of an identity, give us Fields to continue his electrifying play and win this game.

Chiefs-Chargers over 51 points

This massive AFC West game is the night game treat to cap off Week 11's Sunday action, and we're looking forward to what should be a point-fest. Both Kansas City and Los Angeles have been generous to touchdowns scored, and there's a lot to like on both ends here for points. 

Justin Herbert may finally have a full cupboard of weapons in this offense, with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams progressing well in practice this week. This would be the week to have them, as the Chiefs have allowed the second-most touchdowns to WRs this season. The Los Angeles defense hasn't exactly been a world-beater either, allowing the fourth-most points per game at 25.3. 

When these teams meet, points tend to follow. Back in Week 2, the total reached exactly 51 points, and the three games prior saw the total exceed Sunday's over/under each time. The Chiefs and Chargers have averaged 56.5 total points per game in their last four encounters, and in a huge game, we like the trend to continue.

USC in the driver's seat in the Pac-12 with an outside chance at the CFP

This Pac-12 bout between USC and UCLA has to be considered the headlining event of the Saturday slate, even with UCLA losing the wind out of its sails in this rivalry game. It's not enough for us to be discouraged though, with this game offering up a massive opportunity for the Trojans.

USC is 9-1 and ranked No. 7 in the latest CFP rankings, while UCLA is No. 16 at 8-2. A win here for USC on the road would clinch their spot in the Pac-12 Championship game and give them a signature road win on their resume as the college football season winds down. This Trojans offense has been clicking on all cylinders lately, scoring 41+ points in four straight and fresh off a 55-point beatdown of Colorado. Quarterback Caleb Williams has had a great year and could make a last-second push to be a Heisman finalist (currently +1200 to win) with a strong game Saturday. He's tallied 37 total touchdowns, and with UCLA allowing 70 total points over their past two weeks, we expect another big outing from the Trojans en route to their biggest win of the season.

We took USC -1 here.

In the news ...

Conference games headline college football Saturday; every week matters now — While this weekend lacks the allure of many top-25 matchups, it's still a massive week for many of college football's best. No. 4 TCU visits Baylor, No. 2 Ohio State hits the road at Maryland, and No. 1 Georgia is on the road against Kentucky. As conference championships near, these undefeated teams control their own destiny in the College Football Playoff. A road loss by any of these three would be tough to come back from, though that is especially true for TCU, who are currently 2.5-point favorites.

World Cup is here — The World Cup begins on Sunday between host nation Qatar and Ecuador, followed by multiple games every day for the next few weeks. It's hard to imagine Qatar fielding a competitive team out of Group A, so we'd expected Ecuador to take the first match in regular time at +140. Brazil is the betting favorite to win it at all at +350, followed by Argentina at +500 and France at +700. France took home the win in 2018 over Croatia and have who many consider to be the best player in the world in Kylian Mbappe on their side. USA is -105 to advance out of their group, with England -200 and Wales +100 sandwiching them.

Ja'Marr Chase set to return next week — It sounds like Bengals star receiver Ja'Marr Chase will be back on the field sooner than later. Reports suggest Chase is set to return in Week 12 against the Titans, a much-needed lift for the Bengals as they look to secure a spot in the postseason for the second straight year. As it stands, Cincy is 5-4 and one game back of the Ravens in the AFC North. Three AFC teams are 5-4 and vying for the seventh seed, but because of tiebreakers, the Bengals are currently out. Getting their most explosive weapon back on the field would be a huge boost. Cincinnati is currently -120 to make the playoffs and +100 to fall short.

Today's Bark Bets is written by Griffin Carroll