The New Orleans Saints host the Chicago Bears in the Wild Card round of the 2021 NFL playoffs. The game is scheduled for Sunday, January 10th, with kickoff set for 4:40 p.m. ET. The game will air on CBS. If the Saints win the game, they will host the Seahawks, Washington or Bucs in the Divisional round. If the Bears win, they will face the Packers in Lambeau.
How the Saints and Bears got here
The Chicago Bears finished 2020 with an 8-8 record, despite playing a game of “quarterback roulette” that nearly sent their playoff hopes into the ether. After Mitch Trubisky won the starting QB role in training camp, Matt Nagy made the decision to bench him in Week 3 in favor of Nick Foles. Foles was a disappointment, to say the least, posting a 2-5 record in his seven games as a starter. Once a hip injury sent Foles back to the bench before their Week 11 bye, the team finished out 3-3 to clinch a Wild Card spot and second place in the NFC North, thanks in large part to their defense. Though their playoff outlook may appear grim, Trubisky may have bought himself another chance in the Windy City with this playoff berth... barring a dastardly performance against the Saints to close out the season.
The Saints enter this Wild Card matchup as 9.5 point favorites at home, and with the rate at which Alvin Kamara is scoring touchdowns, it’s not surprising. The Saints rallied to win the NFC South for the fourth year in a row under head coach Sean Payton, even despite a significant chest injury that held Drew Brees out of four games. In what may be his last season in the NFL, Brees managed a 70.5% completion rate, throwing 24 TDs and 6 INTs. The Saints offense ranked fifth in points-scored in the 2020 season, but if there is any defense that could potentially match them, it’s the Bears under the leadership of Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks.
How to watch
Date: Sunday, January 10
Time: 4:40 p.m. ET
TV channel: CBS
Live stream: CBS All-Access
Current odds for Saints vs. Bears
Point spread: Saints -9.5
Point total: 47.5
Moneyline: Saints -435