This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
Chicago Bears at Baltimore Ravens 
Betting Odds, Picks, and Predictions for Week 8
Unlike previous seasons, OUR Chicago Bears have been relatively predictable this season. The Bears have lost to playoff teams while taking advantage of bad or injured teams. This Sunday represents possibly the most unique handicap of the week as Chicago heads to Baltimore, a team that was power-rated as the best in football early on, but a porous defense and a lengthy injury to all-everything QB Lamar Jackson has derailed the train.
***EDITOR NOTE: It was not known at the time of publishing, but Jackson is now not expected to play Sunday.
This week, the Ravens are off their bye and healthier than they have been since the season started. Is this a paper-tiger vs sleeping giant? Let's dive in.
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Bears at Ravens Betting Odds
- Spread: Ravens -7 (-110 Bet365, DraftKings, Fanatics, FanDuel), Bears +7.5 (-125 ESPNBet)
- Moneyline: Ravens -330 (Bet365), Bears +285 (FanDuel)
- Total: Over 49.5 (-110 Bet365, BetMGM, ESPN Bet, Fanatics), Under 50 (-114 BetRivers)
**EDITOR NOTE: These are the spreads/totals at time of publishing. The line tumbled to Ravens -2.5, and total is 45 as of Saturday evening.
The first thing to mention is the line certainly seems to indicate Lamar is playing. Neither Cooper Rush nor Tyler Huntley is going to command that much respect. The line opened at 6.5 and dipped to 5.5 before rising to where we are at the time of publishing. The splits are interesting here, as 56 percent of the bets are on the Bears, but 69 percent of the money is on the Ravens. That tells me sharp money is on Baltimore, which has driven the line all the way up to a flat 7. The total has barely budged, and little variant from book to book. Spoiler alert: I'll be staying away from the total.
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Bears at Ravens Betting Picks
I get it, the easy choice here is the Ravens. Despite being 4-2, the Bears haven't really proven anything yet, and the 52-21 loss at Detroit is tough to erase from memory. Baltimore is the definition of desperate as a team that was a Super Bowl favorite; and the sharps seem to love that angle and their situation. It's all a little too easy and convenient if you ask me.
Chicago has been winning by controlling games with their running attack, a stark contrast to teams passed. Caleb Williams is keeping mistakes to a minimum and desperation doesn't automatically translate into wins. OUR Chicago Bears are playing with confidence, and this line has gotten too far out of control following the easy narrative.
