Stay updated on Thursday Night Football with our Seattle Seahawks vs. Chicago Bears odds and picks. Don’t miss out on the action and expert insights!
The Seattle Seahawks are in a must-win situation on Thursday Night Football. Seattle is sitting at 8-7, and its only hope to make the playoffs is to beat the Chicago Bears this week and the Los Angeles Rams next week in order to win the NFC West. That would give the Seahawks a first-round playoff game at home, as they no longer have a route to a Wild Card spot after their loss to the Minnesota Vikings last week.
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Week 17 Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears
Seattle Seahawks -4 Chicago Bears +4 Total 44
Weather can sometimes play a major impact this time of year in the Windy City, but the forecast for Chicago is expected to be relatively nice on Boxing Day. That has helped the total rise from an opening line of 41.5 to where it currently sits at 44. As for the side, Seattle opened as a three-point favorite per the football betting odds, but the betting public has jumped on the Seahawks as they have something to play for while Chicago has been eliminated from postseason contention for weeks.
Seattle Seahawks Overview
It’s been a season of streaks for Seattle. The Seahawks won their first three games of the season, but then they proceeded to lose five of their next six before the bye week to fall to 4-5. They looked set to win the NFC West after winning four straight games following the bye (including three against division opponents), but the Seahawks have since lost in back-to-back weeks to fall behind the Los Angeles Rams.
Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet are both listed as questionable. Walker missed two games before returning to action against Minnesota, but he wasn’t effective with a 3.9 YPC average. As for Charbonnet, he was injured in that game and only carried the ball once, so his status is likely a little more in doubt.
That will put more pressure on Geno Smith. The veteran has struggled somewhat this season following a breakthrough 2023 campaign, as he has completed 70.1% of his passes for 3,937 yards (7.5 YPA) with 17 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while being sacked 45 times. Smith has thrown three touchdowns and three interceptions in his last two starts, and he has also fumbled seven times this year.
Seattle’s defense has been very middle of the road this season. The Seahawks rank 12th in scoring defense (22.7 PPG) and 17th in total defense (338.3 YPG). One of their top three pass rushers may be unavailable though, as Derick Hall (7 sacks and 5 tackles for loss) is considered questionable.
Chicago Bears Overview
No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams has not had the rookie season many in Chicago were hoping to see given all the talent the front office surrounded him with this offseason. Williams hasn’t been bad, and he has been sacked a whopping 60 times, but he is completing just 62.2% of his passes for 3,271 yards (6.5 YPA). His touchdown-to-interception ratio is pretty good for a rookie, yet he has padded his stats with many of his 19 touchdown passes coming in garbage time.
D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, and Keenan Allen should all finish with over 750 receiving yards. They have alternated being the go-to receiver for Williams, and tight end Cole Kmet has had a productive year too. D’Andre Swift functioned as a solid option out of the backfield, and that was something Williams needed as Swift was not an effective runner (3.8 YPC).
Chicago has been known for its defensive prowess over the last few decades. Unfortunately, the Monsters of the Midway are made of paper mache this year. The Bears rank second-to-last in the NFL, allowing 5.9 YPC, and the pass defense has been very suspect. That’s not a good sign against a Seattle receiving corps that has Jaxon Smith-Njigba, D.K. Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett.
Thursday Night Football Prediction
It’s very hard to back the Bears here. Chicago has lost nine straight games since the bye week, wiping away all the good feeling after a 4-2 start. The Bears are averaging 15.0 PPG on offense during this stretch, so the Seahawks have to be the play.
Final Score: Seattle 24, Chicago 16
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