NFL Betting – NFC Championship Game

One of the NFL’s greatest rivalries adds another chapter this Sunday when the Green Bay Packers visit the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship Game, with a trip to Super Bowl XLIV on the line.

The NFL betting odds opened with the Packers as 3-point road favorites at Soldier Field. Oddsmakers weighed their impressive 48-21 win over the top-seeded Atlanta Falcons (-1, 43.5), as well as their win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round, against the Bears’ 35-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks (+10, 42.5) on Sunday, expecting the betting public to side with Green Bay.

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Early money has proven those oddsmakers right, moving the spread from a field goal to 3.5 as of Tuesday afternoon. The Packers, who entered the postseason as the sixth and final seed in the NFC, appear to be the best all-around team heading into the championship weekend.

Green Bay’s offense, namely quarterback Aaron Rodgers, is getting the majority of the credit. Rodgers put together one of the best postseason performances of the modern era against the Falcons. He was 31 for 36 passing for 366 yards and three touchdowns while also adding a rushing score to his impressive stat line.

Rodgers is no stranger to the Bears’ defense. He’s faced Chicago twice this season and has been relatively held in check in those meetings. He passed for 316 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a Week 3 Monday night meeting with the Bears, in which Chicago came away with a 20-17 win on a last-second field goal, covering as a 3-point home pup.

In the regular season finale, Rodgers posted 229 yards through the air with one touchdown and one pick, defeating a Chicago stop unit that was resting most of its key players for the postseason. Green Bay won that game 10-3, punching its ticket to the playoffs, but failed to cover as an 11-point home favorite.

The Bears have done a good job of bending but not breaking against Rodgers and the Pack. Although Rodgers had solid outings versus Chicago, he only managed to get 27 total points on the board for his team – with both contests playing under the NFL betting totals.

Chicago’s style of play is nearly textbook according to what many see as the two essentials to winning in the playoffs. The Bears are able to run the ball and stop the run – ranking second in the NFL online betting in rushing defense this season.

Against the Seahawks, they marched for 176 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, getting two scores from quarterback Jay Cutler and 80 yards rushing from running back Matt Forte. On the other side of the ball, Chicago snuffed out Seattle’s running game, giving up only 34 yards on the ground.

The Packers defense did a great job against Atlanta running back Michael Turner in the Divisional Round – they held him to only 39 yards and one score. However, the Falcons were forced to pass a lot in the second half in order to catch up. Against the Eagles, Green Bay limited RB LeSean McCoy to 46 yards and held dual-threat QB Michael Vick to just 32 yards scrambling.

Controlling the football will be the key for both sides. Green Bay was among the best teams in time of possession this season and topped the Falcons by holding on to the ball for over 39 minutes last Saturday. With the last five meetings between these NFC North foes being decided by a touchdown or less, whoever holds the football last will likely be the winner.

Sunday’s total opened at 43.5 and has bounced between that number and 44 points in the days following post. These rivals have played under the total in six straight meetings and, with the conditions of the Soldier Field turf coming under fire this week, bettors should expect both teams to slow things down again Sunday.

Check out the latest football game lines in the sportsbook, click here!