Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields. Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

NFL Week 2: Chicago Bears vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers betting picks, preview

By Matt Wiesenfeld | Last updated Sep 13, 2023 8:14 PM ET

Tampa Bay started the post-Tom Brady era with a win. This is one team the markets are pretty unsure about, but some favorable scheduling means they could easily be 2-0. As for the Chicago Bears, it was the same old thing in Week 1, losing to Green Bay, while the offense struggled. They could really use a confidence-building win.

Chicago Bears vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Betting Trends and Odds

Sunday, September 17, 2023 - 1 p.m. ET
Odds: Tampa Bay -3, Over/under 41.5, Chicago +120 | Tampa Bay -142

I am not sure the Buccaneers are only deserving of getting the bump from being the home team in this spot. They seem to be functional in most facets of the game, and I am not sure you can say the same about Chicago right now. Given we are already at a key number it is going to be hard for the books to move this one though. I am surprised to see that the bulk of the money is on Chicago so far.

Picks for Chicago vs. Tampa Bay

Bucs -3, Justin Fields Over 200 Passing Yards (+155)

I was hinting at it above. For me, the Bucs are more than just taking advantage of home-field better than Chicago. Quarterback Baker Mayfield is not my favorite but with the weapons he has at his disposal Tampa can have a good offense and they could even play catch-up if they need to. He is also solid with a lead. The Tampa defense was really good against the run against Minnesota, but not so good against the pass. That combo should play well this week in their first home game of the season. Early success sets the script the way they want it to push their record to 2-0.

Backing Justin Fields' passing props is probably not the best winning strategy long term, but I am encouraged that they appear to be committed to letting him throw the ball. He had 37 attempts and more than 200 yards against Green Bay in a loss. The Packers are better defensively than the Bucs and with Chicago playing from behind for most of the game again he can cross this low plateau and cash a nice one for us.

I think these numbers hold steady as this low-profile game approaches. You don't have to rush this one.

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Matt Wiesenfeld

Matt Wiesenfeld has been handicapping games and espousing sports wisdom online for more than a decade, writing thousands of articles to help bettors understand and play the market. Matt loves to bet on, write about, and engage on MLB, the NFL, NBA, college football, and college basketball

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