Buccaneers vs. Bears Picks | Week 5 Thursday Night Football Predictions

Brian Sausa, Last Updated: September 16th, 2024 - NJ Sports Betting - Free $3,250 For Sports Bets In New Jersey

The NFL season is officially in full swing as the calendar flips to October, and that marks the time for Thursday Night Football in Week 5 and some Buccaneers vs. Bears predictions!

Thanks to a huge range of NFL offerings, online betting sites in NJ and several other states are taking in tons of bets these days. And being the only one game on television, Thursday Night Football predictions are quite popular each week. Before even considering which side to choose, keep a couple of things in mind:

• Tampa Bay opened as three-point favorites on the road at Soldier Field
• Both Tampa Bay and Chicago went 2-1 against the spread through three games
• Chicago has won straight-up twice as underdogs so far in 2020

Below, we will preview the upcoming game between the Bucs and Bears, and give our Week 5 TNF picks for this NFC clash.

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Week 5 TNF Betting Picks: Buccaneers vs. Bears Predictions

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are traveling to visit the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field as the two open up the Week 5 schedule on Thursday, October 8 at 8:20 PM EST. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Bucs open as three-point road favorites with a moneyline of -180. On the other side, the home underdogs are +152 on the moneyline.

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UPDATE (Monday 10/5): Since the time of writing, this spread has moved from Tampa Bay -3 (-120) at the time of opening to -5.5 (-110). The total is set at 44.5 at multiple sportsbooks including FanDuel and BetMGM.

Week 5 Thursday Night Football Picks | Buccaneers vs. Bears Predictions

This marks the first of four road games in the next six weeks for Tampa Bay, and this stretch will be a huge indicator of where they wind up this season. There’s no doubt that Brady & Co. will want to continue to the strong play his team has shown over the last few weeks.

One problem is that this team is banged up, including WR Chris Godwin and RB Leonard Fournette. Another is that Chicago has one of the best pass defense in the NFL to this point, and Brady has been throwing a ton. The good news for Tampa is that this offense has weapons all over the place and even if Godwin and/or Fournette can’t play, they still have options and will score some points.

There’s no doubt that the Bucs are a disadvantage as the road team on Thursday night due to practice time and travel, which makes it tough to give away many points with them knowing Chicago has the edge due to travel and practice time.

That said, the Bears’ record is in direct contrast with how the team has played for the most part until the very end of the game. Two of the first three wins came via massive comeback in the fourth quarter as the offense and defense have simultaneously disappeared before reappearing just in time on both occasions.

This is not a blueprint that can be repeated with much success. Besides, the Bucs aren’t the Lions or the Falcons. Tampa’s defense ranks second in DVOA according to Football Outsiders and it’s more likely the Bears pay for their transgressions in a way they haven’t had to so far.

The good news for Tampa is that this offense has weapons all over the place and even if Godwin and/or Fournette can’t play, Brady still has options. If they can establish a bit of a run game as two of Chicago’s first three opponents did, this offense will score and its defense won’t be allowing any massive comebacks. Yes, even to Nick Foles.

Week 5 TNF Picks: Tampa Bay Bucs -3 (-120) – Make Week 5 NFL Picks At BetMGM!

UPDATE: Following Week 4 action, this spread ballooned to Tampa Bay -5.5 (-110). Even though the Bucs are quickly losing value, we’d bet them up until -6 or maybe -6.5, but likely will stop short before giving away a full touchdown.

Buccaneers vs. Bears Best Bets: Week 5 TNF Picks

• Tampa Bay Bucs -3 (-120)

For more information and advice on pro football wagering, visit our NFL Betting Guide!

Photo Credit: Associated Press

ABOUT Brian Sausa

Brian Sausa is BonusSeeker’s Copy Editor and lead sports betting pundit. A journalism graduate with an extensive sports background, Brian has been employed by multiple professional leagues including MLB, MiLB (Minor League Baseball), and the NHL. MLB, NHL, IBTimes, Brooklyn Cyclones, FanSided