The long wait is over. The start of the 2022 NFL regular season is only days away. For Illinois sports betting fans, that means it’s time to put on the Chicago Bears gear and start rooting for the home team. Of course a good start is key to a team looking for confidence. So who do the Bears play in Week 1 of the new NFL season?

Who Do The Bears Play In Week 1?

In Week 1, the Chicago Bears will be hosting the San Francisco 49ers. The game will be played at Soldier Field, starting at 1:00 PM ET.

The betting line on the game is San Francisco -7, and the over/under is 41.5.

The Bears will be looking to rebound from yet another disappointing season having gone 6-11 in 2021. Head Coach Matt Eberflus has officially given control of the offense to QB Justin Fields. While the young man from Ohio State struggled last year, he should be able to move forward with a better showing this year.

Bears vs 49ers – Lance To Start

The 49ers will be looking to go one better than losing in last year’s NFC Championship Game to the Super Bowl Champ Los Angeles Rams. After a tumultuous offseason, 2021 QB Jimmy Garappolo will find a place on the bench in favor of Trey Lance. Lance earned the starting spot by shining during the preseason. It doesn’t hurt that he’ll have All-Pro Deebo Samuel (1,770 all-purpose years, 14 TDs) catching his passes.

Bears vs 49ers Betting Prediction:

It’s tough to lay 7 points on the road in any opposing stadium. However, the 49ers have enough offensive weapons to score in the high 20s. Meanwhile, Chicago QB Lance faces a steep learning curve and will likely struggle to move the offense against a decent 49ers defense. It won’t likely be a blowout, but the 49ers should be able to cover the spread.

The o/u of 41.5 looks a little bit high, look for the game to fall just below the total, 27-10.