NFL Week 3: Cowboys at Bears Predictions & Best Bets

Two of the newest head coaches in the NFL go head to head when Brian Schottenheimer and his Dallas Cowboys visit Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears in a Week 3 NFL matchup. Dallas earned its first win with a dramatic overtime victory over the Giants last week while the Bears are winless and have dropped 12 of their last 13 games. The NFC tilt kickoffs from Soldier Field in Chicago at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 21 and will air on FOX.

Cowboys at Bears Preview

A loss last week would’ve had the Dallas faithful in an uproar. Hiring Schottenheimer wasn’t seen as the best choice and being unable to come to an agreement with Micah Parsons was a blow. But the Cowboys avoided that thanks to Dak Prescott and Brandon Aubrey as they escaped with a 40-37 victory. Prescott threw for 361 yards and two TDs and Aubrey nailed a game-tying 64-yard field goal at the end of regulation and a 46-yarder in OT.

In a game that featured almost 1,000 yards of offense, the Dallas defense came up with a game changing play. Donovan Wilson intercepted a pass in OT allowing Prescott to move into field goal range for the winner. The Cowboys allowed more than 500 total yards and 7.8 yards per play, but escaped a winner.

The Cowboys rank 3rd in total yards per game (392.5) and 5th in points per game (30.0).
Prescott leads the NFL with 59 completed passes.
WR CeeDee Lamb has four straight games with at least 7 receptions and more than 100 yards.
Dallas is 6-4 SU and ATS on the NFL betting line in its last 10 road games.

In their attempt to fix an anemic offense from a season ago the Bears apparently forgot that they also need players on the other side of the football. The offense is a bit better, scoring more than 20 points in each of the first two games, but the D got sliced up last week allowing more than 50 points for the first time in more than a decade in a loss at Detroit.

The Bears amassed 339 yards and were within a touchdown after Caleb Williams threw his second scoring pass of the game late in the first half. The defense was a sieve, though, allowing more than 500 yards and seven touchdowns in the 52-21 setback. The Bears have allowed 79 points in their two losses.

The Bears have lost 12 of their last 13 games going 4-8-1 against the NFL point spread.
Chicago is 5-2-1 ATS in its last eight games as a home underdog.
All 3 Caleb Williams touchdown passes have been to Rome Odunze.
The defense surrendered 15 plays of 10 or more yards in the Detroit game.

Cowboys at Bears Predictions

It’s a small sample size but both teams have been shaky on defense allowing more than 30 points. Russell Wilson threw for 450 yards with three TDs against the Cowboys last week and this could be a breakout game for Williams and the Bears. There are enough playmakers for the Bears QB and I can see him going OVER his passing yardage total of 236.5.

Cowboys at Bears Betting Tips

Dallas is a 1-point favorite on the early NFL betting line with a moneyline price of -107.
The Bears have lost five straight at home when getting points.
Chicago is -104 on the moneyline.
The total surfaced at 50.5, the second-highest on the Week 3 board and the first time at 50 for the Bears since the 2022 season.
Chicago has cashed the OVER in three straight games and in four of their last five.

Cowboys at Bears Head to Head and Key Stats

The teams last met in 2022 with Dallas getting a 49-29 win and covering the 10.5-point spread.
The Cowboys have won three of the last four meetings scoring an average of more than 40 points in their victories.
The OVER has cashed in each of the last eight head-to-head encounters.
The Bears have won two of the last three meetings at Soldier Field.
Dallas leads the NFL converting 52 percent on third down.