Expert Picks: Majority Picking Texans To End Bears' Win Streak
(CBS)Let's be honest, it's been pretty easy to predict the Bears games this season. Things get much tougher this week for our experts from 670 The Score, CBS2 and WBBM Newsradio 780 & 105.9 FM, however. Here are their picks as the Bears host the Houston Texans Sunday night at Soldier Field:
 |
 |
 |
| Brian Hanley | Dan McNeil | Terry Boers |
| Bears 27, Texans 24 | Texans 20, Bears 17 | Texans 24, Bears 23 |
| The Bears opened as a 1.5-point favorite and bettors have shaved off the half-point. By kickoff, Houston may be the favored team. With two elite defenses, most everyone loves the under (41.5). Going against both trends. | Can't keep counting on Bears defense to score, especially against a team that's turned it over only six times. Houston won't let Cutler play from the red tees like recent Bears sparring partners. | My old pal Dick Trickle says games like this drive him crazy. He has absolutely no feel for it. I've hit the same wall. We all know the Bears' defense can't continue to take the ball away every 3 minutes, right? The Texans sure seem legit. |
| Record: 7-1 | Record: 7-1 | Record: 6-2 |
 |
 |
 |
| Hub Arkush | Dan Hampton | Matt Spiegel |
| Bears 22, Texans 20 | Texans 21, Bears 17 | Texans 27, Bears 23 |
| This is as good as it's gotten at Soldier Field since '06! The one obvious mismatch - Texans' pass rush, Bears O - line - goes to Houston, but the Bears have more playmakers on "D" and good things keep happening to them. | Texans have always been known to deal with a "horseshoe". Powerful defensive line with cause headaches for the Bears' offense and Houston's skill players will be on high "strip" alert. | The turnover battle is even, as the Texans get a slant towards Marshall batted in the air by J.J. Watt for an INT. The Bears don't capitalize on enough red zone chances with TDs and the Texans win a tight one on the strength of Arian Foster's two scores. |
| Record: 6-2 | Record: 6-2 | Record: 7-1 |
 |
 |
 |
| Ben Finfer | Matt Abbatacola | Adam Hoge |
| Bears 24, Texans 20 | Bears 20, Texans 17 | Texans 17, Bears 13 |
| This is as much a flip-a-coin game as we've seen. I trust the Bears' defense to keep it close. As long as that's the case, Jay Cutler will do enough to squeak out a win. | The Bears would lose this game if it was on the road. Credit the quiet fans, Lovie being from Texas and Bears' weather for the three-point victory. | The Bears will end up being the better team this season, but the offense is not ready for J.J. Watt & Co. right now. Two turnovers will lead to points for the Texans and the Bears' D won't be able to bail them out because Houston rarely coughs up the football. |
| Record: 7-1 | Record: 6-2 | Record: 8-0 |
 |
 |
 |
| Ryan Baker | Megan Mawicke | Josh Liss |
| Texans 31, Bears 20 | Texans 20, Bears 17 | Bears 20, Texans 17 |
| The JV portion of the Bears' schedule ends with a Texan-sized Sunday Night matchup, but the Bears' winless streak against Houston continues. | A potential Super Bowl preview, both teams are at the top of their games. Both have dominating defenses that can harass quarterbacks. The Bears' offensive line and Jay Cutler will struggle just a bit more. Houston gets a tough road victory. | Another defensive feeding frenzy keeps the Texans in check. A player not named Brandon Marshall scores a difference-making TD. Bears squeeze by at home in the rain. |
| Record: 6-2 | Record: 8-0 | Record: 8-0 |
