Saints vs. Bears: TV Info, Spread, Injury Updates, Game Time and More

The New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears are both a disappointing 5-8, but one team is battling for a division crown while the other is discussing buyer’s remorse surrounding its quarterback.

Such are the geographical breaks in the NFL, where the Bears are stuck behind the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions in the NFC North and the Saints are in one of the worst divisions in recent memory in the NFC South. Monday’s game takes on much more meaning for Drew Brees and company than it does for Jay Cutler’s squad.

With that in mind, here is a look at the key information for Monday night’s clash. Injury reports are courtesy of CBS Sports, as of Friday morning at 10:30 a.m. ET.

New Orleans Saints vs. Chicago Bears

Date: Monday, Dec. 15

Time (ET): 8:30 p.m.

Where: Soldier Field; Chicago, Illinois

TV: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN 

Odds: Saints -3, courtesy of Odds Shark, as of Friday morning at 10:30 a.m. ET 

Injury Report

DATE	POS	PLAYER	INJURY	NFL STATUS
12/12/14	S	Chris Conte	Back	QUESTIONABLE
12/12/14	K	Robbie Gould	Right quadriceps	QUESTIONABLE
12/12/14	DT	Jeremiah Ratliff	Knee	QUESTIONABLE
12/12/14	LB	Darryl Sharpton	Hamstring	QUESTIONABLE
12/4/14	WR	Brandon Marshall	Rib	OUT

DATE	POS	PLAYER	INJURY	NFL STATUS
12/12/14	LB	Junior Galette	Knee	QUESTIONABLE
12/12/14	LB	David Hawthorne	Hip	QUESTIONABLE
12/12/14	DE	Akiem Hicks	Ankle	QUESTIONABLE

Preview/Prediction

Bill Feig/Associated Press

Jeff Washburn of Scout.com noted that the Saints are somehow looking golden in terms of playoff potential despite four losses in their last five games, including a 41-10 beatdown at the hands of the Carolina Panthers in Week 14:

The Saints have lost four in a row at home, which is unheard of in the Superdome, but they have won two in a row on the road. Perhaps a Monday night trip to the Windy City is exactly what this team needs.

Or, a matchup with the abysmal Bears defense is exactly what it needs.

Chicago is dead last in the league in points allowed per game at 29.1 and has given up 377.8 yards a contest. It has gotten worse recently with a combined 75 points allowed in the last two losses.

Drew Brees in particular should have a field day against the Bears defense that is 30th in the league against the pass. Perhaps the disappearing case of Jimmy Graham that has caused fantasy owners everywhere to pull their hair out will be solved in Chicago against an overmatched secondary. Safety Chris Conte (if he plays) certainly won’t be able to contain Graham.

Despite the record, the Saints are third in the league in passing yards per game and ninth in rushing yards per game. They still feature one of the most dangerous offenses in the league and should control the tempo of this game from the outset.

On the other side, Chicago’s offense looks much less formidable without Brandon Marshall on the field. He is still a top-notch threat in the passing game, especially in the red zone, and defending the Bears becomes much easier when he is out.

Maybe the Bears will actually turn to the run with Marshall out, considering they ran for a combined 48 yards in their last two games. New Orleans has given up 183.8 yards on the ground per game during the last five, and Matt Forte should have plenty of running lanes Monday.

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

The real issue for the Chicago offense has been Cutler, who leads the league with six fumbles and is second with 15 interceptions. Head coach Marc Trestman discussed his quarterback, according to the Associated Press, via ESPN.com:

"

Jay and I talk daily. I think he has a very good understanding of how we feel about him. There's a lot of noise out there. We're all aware of that. All we're trying to do here is to get our football team in a position that we can be better on Monday night.

The focus inside this building is exactly that and has always been exactly that week to week. That's all that's been important to all of us here.

"

All the weapons are still in place for this to be a dangerous offense, even without Marshall. Alshon Jeffery should top the 1,000-yard mark this season even though he missed time with injury (949 yards and eight touchdowns), Forte is still one of the most well-rounded running backs in the league and Martellus Bennett could challenge for 1,000 yards from the tight end position (821 yards and six touchdowns) with a strong finish.

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

However, Chicago is 26th in the NFL in rushing yards, and the offense has never really hit the ground running like so many expected.

A combination of poor health, especially along the offensive line, and struggles from the quarterback position are certainly to blame, and it is now a lost season for Chicago.

If there was ever a defensive matchup that will spark the Bears, though, it is New Orleans. The Saints have allowed at least 27 points in each of their last five games and are second-worst in the league in yards allowed per game (398.7). What’s more, they are 29th in the league against the pass and 29th against the run with no real hope of a turnaround in sight.

While both teams are struggling, the Saints are playing for much more and have less overall dysfunction surrounding the franchise. The absence of Marshall will also hurt this Bears offense in a matchup they would otherwise be able to exploit.

The best individual unit in this game is the Saints offense, and that will ultimately make the difference down the stretch with a late touchdown.

New Orleans will extend its road winning streak to three games Monday in a must-win contest and make a final push toward the playoffs. 

Prediction: Saints 31, Bears 23

Follow me on Twitter:

Follow @ScottPolacek