Bears and Titans over the years |
It will be the beginning of a new era in Chicago as the Caleb Williams era kicks off against an out-of-conference team, the Tennessee Titans. Technically speaking, this is a matchup of two rebuilding teams, but the Bears are heading out of their rebuild while the Titans enter theirs.
With the Bears only coming in as four-point favorites, you have to wonder why it is such a low line. However, when you look at the past history of these two teams, you can see why the betters aren't making this a larger spread. Despite the Titans/Houston Oilers being around since the 1970s, these teams haven't played as often as you would think, as this will be just the 14th time they have faced off against each other. Looking back at their previous 13 meetings, you will find that this series is about as evenly matched as possible, with the Titans holding a narrow 7-6 lead. That includes the winners of three of the last four meetings, as things have tilted in the Titans' favor recently. The very first time these teams met came in 1973 and it was one that the Bears dominated 35-14 to claim their first victory against the then Oilers.
Take that game away, and it was all Titans over the next 19 years. They won four of the next five games, including a 47-0 blasting in 1977. The Bears' lone win during that stretch came in 1986 when they used their defense to pick up a 20-7 win. As we move to the 1990s, things began to tilt in the Bears' favor. They went on to win three straight and four of five from 1995-2012.
During those games, three were decided by three points or less, and another one was an absolute blowout, with the Bears winning 51-20 back in 2012. That game was sparked by a 28-point first quarter that saw the Bears open up a 28-3 lead, which was all Jay Cutler would need as he tossed three touchdowns and 229 yards in the win.
Chicago also received 103 yards rushing and a score from Matt Forte, as this was one of the more lethal offensive attacks in the entire series. However, that win in 2012 was the last time the Bears beat this team, as they have now gone 12 years since their previous victory over the Titans.
However, these teams don't play each other that much, so that gap between wins is a bit deceiving. These teams have only played twice since that game (2016, 2020), with the Titans winning both of them, including their 24-17 win last time out in 2020. With this game being at Soldier Field this time and the environment expected to be hostile, you have to like the Bears' chances to end their losing streak and get back on the winning side against the Titans.
Unlike many teams that come to Soldier Field and tend to struggle, Tennessee isn't one of them. They have gone 4-2 in their six previous meetings in Chicago. That includes winning their last two meetings in the Windy City, as Chicago has gone nearly 30 years since they last knocked off the Titans at home.
That will change at some point, as the Bears are due for a home win against this team. That may change this weekend as the Bears have a better roster and the momentum from how they finished last season. Whatever happens, expect another highly competitive game, as most of these games are well-played and often decided in the final quarter. This is just the first step in what the Bears are hoping is a great season, and getting off on the right foot by picking up a win will only help their confidence.
