The Chicago Bears will host the Seattle Seahawks at Soldier Field on Thursday Night Football in Week 17 of the 2024 NFL season. This season, we will continue to delve into every primetime game, and this one is no exception. In light of this, read on for player props, picks, and betting odds for this thrilling matchup. To view all of our NFL betting articles, be sure to visit our Week 17 NFL Betting Hub.
How to Watch the Bears vs. Seahawks Game
When: 8:15 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 26
Where: Chicago, Illinois’ Soldier Field
Channel: Amazon Prime Video
DraftKings Sportsbook’s Seahawks vs. Bears odds as of Tuesday, December 24. To find the best deals, shop around!
Moneyline: Bears +160, Seahawks -192
Spread: Bears +3.5 (-102), Seahawks -3.5 (-118).
Over 43.5 (-108), Under 43.5 (-112) in total
Analysis of the Seahawks vs. Bears
It seems like nobody wants to be a part of this Bears game. Nearly 90% of the bets and handling on the Seahawks are displayed on our VSiN DraftKings betting splits page. We have much the same Circa bettings splits page. Normally, I would seize the chance to fade a popular pick like this because it seldom works out well when there is a sizable majority of bettors. I won’t support either team in this one, though, because Chicago won’t let me get there.
In terms of EPA per play (-0.020 vs. -0.056) and EPA per play allowed (-0.009 vs. 0.020), the Seahawks are the superior team. In order to qualify for the playoffs, Seattle must also win this game. The Seahawks are still in the running for a wild card and have a chance to win the NFC West. The Bears, however, are currently playing for nothing. Therefore, the motivations are obviously different. With a club that is only 1-3 against the spread compared to teams with losing records this season, it is still difficult to lay more than a field goal.
Laying thus many points in a road game that will be played in chilly weather is also challenging. This is particularly true when an offense is up-and-down. The offense is still extremely difficult to trust, even though Geno Smith and company are a bit more dependable offensively than Chicago. Additionally, Seattle has a lot of injuries at running back, which is often one of their strong points.
I think I would choose the Under if I were to play anything in this game. In their last three games, the Bears have gone over twice and allowed 30 points in the one game that kept under. However, those matches were against Detroit, Minnesota, and San Francisco. It should not be as difficult to stop this Seattle offense. Additionally, Mike Macdonald, the head coach of the Seahawks, has a strong defensive mind, thus he should be able to unsettle Caleb Williams, as most teams have done.
Player props for the Seahawks vs. Bears: Caleb Williams over 26.5 rush yards (-110)
In addition to rushing for at least 27 yards in nine of his 15 games this season, Williams has done so in four of his last five outings. Williams is not a quarterback who prioritizes runs. He actually really likes to sit in the pocket and toss. But he has to move a lot because of the Chicago offensive line, so he’ll probably have to use his legs in this situation. Since Week 10, Seattle is ranked 10th in the league in Dropback EPA per play (0.025), and they have some talented defensive backs. Williams is going to take off and run if he looks to throw and sees no one with room.
Bears vs. Seahawks Pick
It’s okay with me that I won’t be taking anything in this game. On Christmas Day, I had something, and this weekend, I’ll have a lot more. However, I would choose the Under if I had to take anything. Both offenses won’t seem particularly strong in this game, in my opinion. There are two offenses in the bottom half of the league in terms of EPA per play, and this game will take place in a short week. For those who prefer a more conventional approach, these teams have only managed to score 41.5 points per game so far this season.
Slim: Less than 43.5 (-110)
