Week 2 NFL Picks: Chicago Bears @ New Orleans Saints Odds and Predictions – Sunday Free NFL Picks 9/18

Week 2 Free NFL Picks: Chicago Bears @ New Orleans Saints NFL Week 2 Vegas Odds, Free Picks, and Expert Predictions on FOX 9/18/11: A pair of NFC playoff hopefuls will square off Sunday when the Chicago Bears head to the Superdome to plat the New Orleans Saints. Both teams are coming off tough opening week tests, with the Bears topping the Atlanta Falcons and the Saints losing a heartbreaker to the defending Super Champion Green Bay Packers. New Orleans desperately needs to avoid an 0-2 start if it wants to have an easy path to the postseason, while Chicago is looking to open the year with back-to-back wins against the top two teams from the loaded NFC South. Two years removed from a Super Bowl victory, the Saints are 6 ½-point favorites in their home opener.

Unfortunately, the showdown between two of the better teams in the conference has been dealt a somber note with the death of Brian Urlacher’s mother. The Bears middle linebacker will be in the lineup Sunday, but he will obviously be playing with a heavy heart. However, great players often perform their best under adverse conditions. Flash back a few years to the incredible performance by Brett Favre in the wake of his father’s death. Chicago needs Urlacher anchoring the middle of its defense, particularly against a pass-happy team like the Saints. Urlacher is one of the top linebackers in the NFL when it comes to covering potential receiving targets.

Another crucial factor will be the fact that the number of targets available to quarterback Drew Brees this weekend will be limited. Leading receiver Marques Colston is out with a collarbone injury, and Lance Moore is still dealing with a nagging injury as well. Granted, Brees does still have Robert Meachem, Jimmy Graham, Darren Sproles and others to work with, but his top two red zone targets are out of the picture. Throw in the fact that first-round pick Mark Ingram failed to deliver in short-yardage situations in the opener, and the pressure will fall on Brees to get the job done in crunch time.

Red zone issues have plagued the Bears in recent years as well, as Jay Cutler and company have settled for a lot of field goals instead of finishing off drives. Receiver Roy Williams doesn’t appear to be the answer, and with power running back Marian Barber still sidelines, Chicago may have to rely on hitting the big play in order to score touchdowns. Against a New Orleans defense that is stingy when it comes to giving up points, the Bears could be calling kicker Robbie Gould’s name several times Sunday afternoon.

The play of both offensive lines will be vital for the success of both teams. Cutler has been sacked a lot in his two years with Chicago, and when he gets pressured, he tends to make mistakes. Coming into the year, Cutler had thrown 50 touchdowns and 42 interceptions in two seasons with the Bears. New Orleans has two athletic defensive ends to bring some heat, along with an opportunistic secondary. The combination could spell trouble for Chicago.

The good news for the Bears is that they can apply just as much pressure on Brees thanks to Julius Peppers and company. In fact, the physical defense has had a lot of success against the Saints in recent years, and Chicago has actually won the last four meetings between the two teams. At the end of the day, the Saints are more of a finesse passing team, and the Bears have been able to dictate the tempo and disrupt Brees’ timing.

Playing in front of the home crowd in the Superdome in more or less a must win game, the Saints should have an excellent opportunity to snap the skid against Chicago. However, history says that this game will be close until the end. Brees is the best player on the field, and he should be able to make a big play when needed to seal the win. However, New Orleans won’t have an easy time blowing out a Bears team that is sure to have an inspired defense rallying around Urlacher.

Prediction: Chicago Bears (+6 ½) Cover the Spread

Free NFL Football Picks and Predictions: Chicago Bears -6.5

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