A relatively quiet offseason for the Bears didn’t prevent them from being listed as NFC North favorites in the latest NFL division odds from BetOnline.AG. The Monsters of the Midway open as +175 favorites – which comes out to 7/4 odds – in the latest look from the online sports book.
The confidence in the Bears’ chances isn’t overwhelming, however. The Packers trail not far behind with 2/1 odds, followed by the Vikings with 9/4 odds and the longshot Lions with 10/1 odds. Given how close the Bears, Packers and Vikings are all, it’s possible this order changes significantly by the start of the season.
Here all of the division favorites from BetOnline.AG:
NFC North: Bears
NFC South: Saints
NFC West: Rams
NFC East: Eagles
AFC North: Browns
AFC South: Colts
AFC West: Chiefs
AFC East: Patriots
No team has stronger odds than the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots at -350.
The last time the Bears won back-to-back NFC North titles came in 2005-06 and culminated with a trip to the Super Bowl. It’s the only time the team has won consecutive division titles since a five-year run from 1984-88.
The Bears appear built to make another trip to the playoffs following their breakout 12-4 season under head coach Matt Nagy. The defense should be fierce again with Khalil Mack, Eddie Jackson, Akiem Hicks and Roquan Smith leading the way. If Mitch Trubisky can take a step forward in his second year in Nagy’s offense, then the ceiling is sky high.
Big moves from past offseasons meant the Bears had to stay relatively quiet this year. They added some depth in free agency, including cornerback Buster Skrine, receiver Cordarelle Patterson and running back Mike Davis, but there was no big splash.
At the draft, the team’s biggest move was selecting running back David Montgomery, who will compete with Davis for carries.
But continuity with the Bears’ best players and head coach offer reasons for optimism, even as their rivals spent the spring loading up for next season.
