NFL picks roundup: Experts down on Bears despite Fields start originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Bears got back in the win column in Week 4, and named Justin Fields their permanent starter going into Week 5. So they should be media darlings now, right? Wrong. Despite the improvement against the Lions, and clarity around the QB position, most NFL experts expect them to fall to 2-3 when they travel to Las Vegas to take on the Raiders.
Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk (39-25)
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The Raiders can’t fall into another 14-to-21-point hole. If they can avoid that, they can get to 4-1.
Pick: Raiders 27, Bears 17
Will Brinson, CBS (40-24)
All eyes will be on this game with Justin Fields making his "franchise quarterback" debut (last week he was just spot starting for Andy Dalton, this is the real thing, welcome to the Bears!)... Fields gets a better-than-advertised Raiders defense but this is still an average unit. If -- AND I REPEAT IF -- Matt Nagy can scheme up some stuff to assist his rookie quarterback by cutting the field in half, rolling him out in play-action spots and utilizing designed runs to accentuate Fields' strengths, this could be a really nice debut. It's an upgrade for Darnell Mooney, Allen Robinson and Cole Kmet for sure, even if David Montgomery will be absent. If Nagy doesn't help his quarterback, the Raiders will roll and the calls for his head will justifiably increase. Derek Carr and the Raiders will look for a bounceback after a rough performance against the Chargers, but I'm not sure this is an ideal landing spot with the short week.
Pick: Bears 21, Raiders 20
Bill Bender, Sporting News (39-25)
For all the hand-wringing about Matt Nagy, the Bears are 2-2 and have a chance to take a winning record into a home game against the Packers in Week 6. The Raiders are coming off a short week. Despite Chicago’s quarterback questions, the recipe for an off-the-wall-thriller is there.
Pick: Bears 26, Raiders 24
Gregg Rosenthal, NFL Network (38-26)
Justin Fields may have to throw more with David Montgomery hurt, but that's not all bad. The Raiders' secondary is injured and vulnerable, even if I love how they compete. Jon Gruden appears to be slowly realizing that his team can't run like he expected to, and the offensive line isn't protecting well enough. It's on Derek Carr to carry Vegas again to a crazy, last-minute victory.
Pick: Raiders 24, Bears 20
Matt Bowen, ESPN (44-20)
Pick: Raiders
Dan Graziano, ESPN (42-22)
Pick: Raiders
John Breech, CBS (41-23)
Pick: Raiders 31, Bears 24
Rob Ninkovich, ESPN (40-24)
Pick: Raiders
Sam Acho, ESPN (40-24)
Pick: Bears
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