Bears vs. Lions Predictions, Picks & Odds: Thanksgiving, 11/28
Thanksgiving Games are one of the most storied parts of the NFL, and specifically, the Detroit Lions playing on Thanksgiving has a long history. They are often NFC North rivalries, and that’s exactly what we have this Thanksgiving as they host the Chicago Bears. For this early Thanksgiving Day game, we’ve got our best Bears vs. Lions predictions for you.
Alongside a best bet from our Bears vs. Lions picks will also be a $150+ FanDuel Sportsbook welcome offer to make it a great holiday overall!
Bears vs. Lions Predictions for Thanksgiving Triple-Header, NFL Week 13
The Lions have been a staple on Thanksgiving, but seeing them as significant favorites has not been. However, that is now the case with this matchup being inside of Ford Field and Detroit looking like the clear favorites in the NFC.
So, it’s difficult to predict anything but a Lions victory. Of course, we’re here to provide Bears vs. Lions predictions with value, which is what our best bet will do. As for overall expectations, Chicago just dropped their fifth straight game allowing a balanced diet of 330 passing yards and 124 rushing yards, which is exactly what Detroit has.
It may not end up being an MVP award for QB Jared Goff, but he’s playing like one, and the RB duo of Sonic and Knuckles with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery is one to be feared.
Chicago Bears: Another Heartbreaker
Rookie QB Caleb Williams was drafted into a solid situation in terms of a franchise that went and got weapons for him in free agency, and things looked solid with their 4-2 start. However, the hail-mary loss to the Washington Commanders seemed to change everything.
They’ve now had some of the most heart-breaking losses of the season, including this past Sunday. Facing an incredibly strong 8-2 Vikings team, not only did they convert a two-point conversion, but they recovered just the third onside kick of the NFL season all to force overtime. After all the drama, they still ended up dropping their fifth straight game.
Detroit Lions: Smooth Criminal
Long gone are the days of the Lions being the laughingstock of the NFL. They’re now the big, bad bullies beating up on the competition. It wasn’t their third 52-point performance of the season, but it was yet another smooth win over an AFC South opponent.
This time, it came on the road, and while that was the difference, one aspect remained the same. That was the combination of RBs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery both finding the endzone in the same game. That’s positive news now facing a Chicago defense that just saw Vikings RB Aaron Jones go for 106 yards and a touchdown.
Bears vs. Lions Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines
Once again, Detroit finds themselves as huge favorites, and you can see the latest Bears vs. Lions odds at FanDuel Sportsbook here:
- Point Spread: Chicago Bears +10.5 (-122) vs. Detroit Lions -10.5 (+100)
- Money Line: Chicago Bears (+390) vs. Detroit Lions (-510)
- Game Total (Over/Under): Over 48.5 (-110) vs. Under 48.5 (-110)
Bears vs. Lions Best Bet: Detroit -6.5 First Half Spread (-115 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Seeing double-digit point spreads can be tough to focus on for many fans, which is why the best bet from our Bears vs. Lions predictions is just slightly different. However, we couldn’t fault you for taking the overall spread either.
Detroit’s point differential is a whopping +177 this year, more than 70 points better than any other team. That has led to the Lions also being an incredible 9-2 against the spread this season, also the best in the NFL. That includes double-digit wins in four of the past five games, boasting 52-point games in two of them.
Even if we don’t get another one of those, we expect Detroit to come out swinging. After what we shared regarding Chicago’s heart-breaking losses this season, it’s tough to imagine them coming out strong, especially in a hostile environment.
Along with Detroit being 9-2 against the spread overall, they’re also 9-2 against the spread in the first half. Given that they score 18.7 first half points per game, it’s easy to see why. That’s more than a field goal better than the next-closest team, and on top of all that, Chicago is tied for the third-worst ATS record in the first half.
They score fewer than nine first half points per game, so we’re locking in the top pick from our Bears vs. Lions predictions on Detroit -6.5 in the first half (-115 at FanDuel Sportsbook).
Bears vs. Lions Injury Report & Latest News
The Lions had one of the biggest injury stories of the season when pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson went down for the season, but since then, they have been largely healthy. The same can be said for the Bears with RB D’Andre Swift and WR Keenan Allen healthy. Of course, it still never hurts to have the latest NFL injury report, which Fantasy Alarm has on a weekly basis.
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Player News
Panthers released TE Jordan Matthews.
Matthews converted to tight end a few years ago and hasn’t made much noise at the position. The change has, however, likely kept him in the league for a few more seasons. He appeared in four games with the Panthers last year but didn’t record any stats on offense. The Panthers also released or waived WR Dax Milne, C Andrew Raym, and TE Colin Granger.
Dolphins released LS Blake Ferguson.
The team also waived CB Ryan Cooper Jr., DT Neil Farrell and OL Chasen Hines. Ferguson has been the team’s long snapper for five seasons and earned a three-year contract extension just before the 2023 season. He should be able to find work snapping footballs farther than the average snap elsewhere in the league.
DetroitLions.com’s Tim Twentyman believes rookie WR Isaac TeSlaa “could make his earliest impact on special teams.”
It’s not much of a surprise, as most rookies cut their teeth with special teams duties. Twentyman mentioned return duties as a possibility, though the former Razorback never returned kicks or punts in college. At 6'4/212 with 4.43 wheels, TeSlaa is an explosive athlete who never translated his physical traits to on-field production at Arkansas. The Lions clearly saw potential for him to do so in the pros and traded two future third-round picks to move up to No. 70 overall for him. It’s going to be a slow burn for TeSlaa in the pros, making him a dynasty-only fantasy option.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said the team does not “have any feelings on competition” when asked about the quarterback room.
O’Connell was asked about a potential quarterback competition on the Rich Eisen Show Wednesday and was unclear on whether J.J. McCarthy would have to compete to start. He said, “we’ve got an obligation as coaches to put our players in position to attack that competition phase.” O’Connell discussed first putting Brett Rypien and the newly acquired Sam Howell in a position to play before any competition would occur. He continued that McCarthy is “owning it” this offseason and is taking snaps from starting center Ryan Kelly. After missing last season with a torn meniscus, McCarthy has been ramping up workouts in the offseason and is the front-runner to start for the Vikings in 2025. As of now, Howell looks to be reinforcement at the backup spot in case it turns out McCarthy is not ready to start.
Texans re-signed DT Foley Fatukasi.
Fatukasi initially joined the Texans last offseason on a one-year contract. The 30-year-old was a rotational defensive lineman, tallying four tackles for loss and one sack. He returns to Houston for 2025, where he will be a part of a deep Texans front seven.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports Tyreek Hill’s second wrist surgery was part of the original plan and his timeline remains unchanged.
Hill announced the second surgery on social media and Pelissero quickly added some context to the situation. The speedy receiver suffered the wrist injury just before the start of the season and it lingered throughout the year, though he never missed a game because of it. If the second surgery truly is a non-story, an offseason to recover might be what Hill needs to return to form after a down 2024 season. On the other hand, Hill is 31 years old, played his worst football last year, and his offense prioritized targets for Jonnu Smith and De’Von Achane. As it stands, Hill might have the highest risk-reward split in fantasy drafts.