Week 17 Sunday Night Football Odds and Picks: Bears vs. 49ers

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Week 17’s Sunday Night Football game has all the feels of a Playoff battle as the San Francisco 49ers host the Chicago Bears with a number of postseason implications on the line.

Both teams enter this SNF matchup with identical 11-4 records and sitting one game behind the Seattle Seahawks for the no.1 seed in the NFC. Furthermore, the 49ers are one game back of Seattle for the NFC West title, while Chicago is 1.5 games ahead of Green Bay for the NFC North crown.

The Bears come into this game having one seven of their last eight contests including a crucial Week 16 overtime victory against the Packers, who they lost to in Week 14. Chicago has beaten three Playoff teams in their last four victories. Along with GB, they also beat the Eagles and Steelers.

The 49ers have won give games in a row, which include impressive wins over the Colts and Panthers. All five of those wins have come by at least 11 points and an average of 16.6 ppg. This San Francisco offense has evolved into a juggernaut and they’re poised to make a serious run in this postseason. In fact, both teams are optimal candidates to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

Let’s dive deeper into the latest NFL betting odds for SNF, courtesy of the top sports betting sites, and make our Week 17 NFL predictions for the Chicago Bears vs. San Francisco 49ers.

What Channel Is Sunday Night Football On?

  • Sunday Night Football Channel: NBC/Peacock
  • Sunday Night Football Time: 8:20pm ET
  • Sunday Night Football Announcers: Mike Tirico and Chris Collinsworth

The Chicago Bears vs. San Francisco 49ers will take place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. Kickoff time is expected to be at 8:20 pm ET.

Sunday Night Football Odds

The following Sunday Night Football odds are courtesy of ScoresandStats:

TeamMoneylineSpreadTotal
Chicago Bears+145+3 (-110)O 52.5 (-110)
San Francisco 49ers-170-3 (-110)U 52.5 (-110)

Keep an eye on the latest NFL odds for SNF and monitor how the lines change from now until kickoff.

When the lines first came out, the San Francisco 49ers were favored by 3.5 points and sporting a -180 moneyline. The Chicago Bears opened as a +150 Underdog. Since then, the lines haven’t moved much as we currently have both teams within opening lines.

The Total has moved since opening at 46.5 points. It has slowly climbed up to the current Over/Under of 52.5 points. However, it’s only the second highest Total on the boards for Week 17, as the Cardinals vs. Bengals slot in at 53.5 points.

Last week, we took the New England Patriots to pull off the road upset at Baltimore. And, that’s exactly what they did. The Patriots covered the spread by winning the game outright via the score of 28-24. This brought our SNF record to 9-7-1 on the season. You can call us the Packers of picking.

Even more exciting is the fact that we nailed our Week 16 SNF parlay and scored a $756 payout on a $100 wager. In addition to taking the Patriots moneyline and spread, we also took Drake Maye to throw for at least 235.5 passing yards. He finished the game with 380 yards. Admittedly, this week’s SNF matchup is more challenging.

In addition to our Week 17 Sunday Night Football preview below, if you are in need of more NFL predictions for this weekend or the rest of the season, then check out the industry’s best handicapping membership. And, you can test it out for free!

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The following Sunday Night Football betting trends include data from last season:

Chicago Bears Betting Trends

  • 7-1 SU in last eight games
  • 8-2 SU following a win this season
  • 7-3 ATS following a win this year
  • 5-1 ATS in last six games
  • 5-2 ATS in last seven road games
  • Over is 7-3 in last 10 NFC West games

San Francisco 49ers Betting Trends

  • 5-0 SU in last five games
  • 4-2 SU in last six home games
  • 9-1 SU in last 10 games as the favorite
  • 5-0 ATS in last five games
  • 4-1 ATS in last five NFC games
  • 7-2-1 ATS as the favorite this year
  • Over is 5-1 in last six December games

Sunday Night Football Matchup

These two NFL teams have played against each other 70 times and the San Francisco 49ers hold a slight advantage with a 36-33-1 series record. Each team has split the last eights games with four wins apiece.

Their last matchup came in 2024, and the 49ers demolished the Chicago Bears by the score of 38-13. The last time Chicago won in the Bay Area came in 2018, when the Bears pulled off a 14-9 victory.

The 49ers are 23-14 against Chicago in home games and 11-3 SU in their last 14 home matchups. Additionally, San Francisco is 9-2 ATS versus the Bears in the Bay Area. 

Sunday Night Football Predictions

Let’s take a look at the participants in the Sunday Night Football game tonight, and make our winning NFL picks

Chicago Bears Sunday Night Football

The Chicago Bears have stormed to the top of the NFC North division and are in the hunt for the top seed in the NFC.

This team is led by their no.2 ranked rushing attack that averages over 151 yards per game. However, they will be facing a stingy San Francisco run defense that ranks 8th against the run as they give up 102.9 ypg.

Where Chicago should have success in this matchup is through the air. Currently, the 49ers allow 229.3 passing yards per game. Last week, they gave up 277 passing yards to Philip Rivers of the Colts. This week, I expect Caleb Williams to be a major factor in Chicago’s success at San Francisco.

The 49ers have the lowest sack rate in the league at just 3.37%, while the Bears give up the sixth lowest sack rate (4.41%). So, I expect Williams to have plenty of time to throw the ball.

Chicago also has one extra day of rest, while the 49ers have one less day to rest since they played on MNF in Week 16.

Chicago is sixth in 3rd down conversions, which should help this offense stay on the field longer and score more points. Currently, the Bears rank 10th at 25.8 ppg.

San Francisco 49ers Sunday Night Football

The San Francisco 49ers have won five games in a row and looked great offensively during that span. Three of those five wins saw the 49ers score 37 or more points. Last week at Indy, the 49ers scored 48 points which was a season high.

The duo of Mac Jones and Brock Purdy have fueled this passing game to no.5 in the league. The 49ers average 249.4 ypg through the air. Where they should have even more success on SNF is on the ground.

Chicago allows 131.0 rushing yards per game, which is the 6th most in the league. That’s also 27 yards more on average than what the 49ers put up per game. So, I expect a strong performance from Christian McCaffrey on the ground and as a receiver out of the backfield.

A key matchup for the 49ers is their red zone offense. They rank 8th (63.33%) in the NFL and will be going up against the 9th best red zone defense (54.17%).  

Who Is Winning Sunday Night Football?

I do have a few concerns regarding both teams as of this writing. First is that George Kittle suffered an ankle injury against the Colts on MNF. If he’s out, then the 49ers will be without one of their best passing weapons.

For Chicago, I am concerned about their 7.3 penalties per game which is the 7th most in the league. The 49ers average 5.0 penalties per game which is the 2nd lowest.

With that said, Chicago’s -1.4 turnover margin is the best in the league and that should come into play on SNF as the 49ers turn the ball over 1.3 times per game.

I like the Bears’ chances of covering the spread as they’ve gone 5-2 ATS in their last seven road games, are 5-1 ATS in last six games, and have gone 7-3 ATS following a win this year. The 49ers are 1-2-1 ATS as a home favorite and 2-3-1 ATS at home this year.

Nevertheless, I am taking the 49ers to win at home. I really like their momentum and offensive firepower, namely McCaffrey and Purdy. It doesn’t matter who’s out on the field, Purdy is putting up big numbers. And, with Chicago’s run defense being poor, you can expect the 49ers to lean on McCaffrey along with using the play action passing attack.

The 49ers are 9-1 SU as the favorite and 8-2 SU in conference games this year. Furthermore, they’ve gone 11-3 SU in their last 14 home games against the Bears. As for the Total, I’m going to pass until confirmation if Kittle is playing or not.  

Bet: San Francisco 49ers (-170), Chicago Bears +3 (-110), Total (pass)

Sunday Night Football Prop Bets

Let’s take a look at some of the best Player props and Game prop bets for this Sunday Night Football matchup:

Christian McCaffrey Rushing Yards

  • Over 68.5 yards (-110)
  • Under 68.5 yards (-110)

On the year, Christian McCaffrey is averaging 69.3 ypg on the ground. Yet, at home this season, the talented RB is averaging 70.1 ypg. Three of his last five games have all gone over 70 yards. He put up 117 yards last week against the Colts who have a decent run defense.

This week, he faces the Bears and their 27th ranked run defense that allows 131.0 rushing yards per game. I love McCaffrey in this SNF matchup and feel that he could flirt with a second straight 100-yard performance.

Bet: Over 68.5 yards (-110)

Caleb Williams Passing Yards

  • Over 223.5 yards (-110)
  • Under 223.5 yards (-110)

In 15 starts, Caleb Williams is putting up 226.7 yards per game which is solid considering he also has the no.2 rushing attack in the NFL.

Williams has gone over this mark three of his last five starts including two games in a row. Last week against the Packers without Micah Parsons, Williams totaled 250 passing yards. I like for Williams to get at least 225 yards against the 49ers who give up 217.1 ypg but just allowed Rivers to throw for 277 yards.

Bet: Over 223.5 yards (-110)

Caleb Williams Passing Attempts

  • Over 32.5 attempts (-110)
  • Under 32.5 attempts (-110)

Plus, if the 49ers focus on stuffing this Chicago ground game, then it means that Williams will have to throw the ball more. I like for the second-year player to throw the ball at least 33 times. He’s done that in seven of his last nine games including the Week 16 matchup versus GB.

The 49ers are facing 34.4 passing attempts per game from opposing teams. Chicago throws it on average 33.3 times per game. This is shaping up for a Bears passing attack.

Bet: Over 32.5 attempts (-110)

Best Bets For Sunday Night Football

Check out our best bets for Sunday Night Football:

  • San Francisco 49ers (-170)
  • Christian McCaffrey over 68.5 rushing yards (-110)
  • Caleb Williams over 32.5 passing attempts (-110)

 I like the San Francisco 49ers at home this weekend. They’re 9-1 SU as the home team this year and have a solid 11-3 record in the last 14 home games versus the Bears.

I believe that McCaffrey will be the catalyst for the 49ers offense on SNF as he should flirt with 100 yards on the ground against a poor Chicago run defense.

On the flip side, Chicago has the no.2 ground game but are facing a 49ers run defense that ranks 8th in the league. So, I see the Bears needing to throw the ball more, which means that Williams will have at least 33 passing attempts.

He’s crossed that threshold in seven of his last nine games. Furthermore, he’s averaging 32.8 attempts per game this season and the 49ers are facing 34.4 passing attempts per game due to their run defense being as good as it is, along with not having a pass rush.

If you decide to put these best Week 17 SNF bets into a parlay, then you will win $478.85 for every $100 wagered. All we need is for things to play out as expected based on the stats and trends, then we get almost a 5x ROI.

If this excites you, then check out our best NFL parlays of the week. We also have weekly College Football parlays, as well. So, take a peek and possibly even combine the two.

Sunday Night Football Schedule 

DateTime(ET)Road TeamHome TeamPrediction
Sep. 48:20 PMDallas CowboysPhiladelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles (W)
Sep. 78:20 PMBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsBuffalo Bills (W)
Sep. 148:20 PMAtlanta FalconsMinnesota Vikings Atlanta Falcons (W)
Sep. 218:20 PMKansas City ChiefsNew York Giants Kansas City Chiefs (W)
Sep. 288:20 PMGreen Bay PackersDallas CowboysGreen Bay Packers (T)
Oct. 58:20 PMNew England PatriotsBuffalo Bills Buffalo Bills (L)
Oct. 128:20 PMDetroit LionsKansas City ChiefsDetroit Lions (L)
Oct. 198:20 PMAtlanta FalconsSan Francisco 49ers Atlanta Falcons (L)
Oct. 268:20 PMGreen Bay PackersPittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers (L)
Nov. 28:20 PMSeattle SeahawksWashington Commanders Seattle Seahawks (W)
Nov. 98:20 PMPittsburgh SteelersLos Angeles ChargersLos Angeles Chargers (W)
Nov. 168:20 PMDetroit LionsPhiladelphia EaglesDetroit Lions (L)
Nov. 238:20 PMTampa Bay BuccaneersLos Angeles RamsLos Angeles Rams (W)
Nov. 308:20 PMDenver BroncosWashington CommandersDenver Broncos (W)
Dec. 78:20 PMHouston TexansKansas City ChiefsKansas City Chiefs (L)
Dec. 148:20 PMMinnesota VikingsDallas CowboysDallas Cowboys (L)
Dec. 218:20 PMNew England PatriotsBaltimore Ravens New England Patriots (W)
Dec. 288:20 PMChicago BearsSan Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers  
Jan. 48:20 PMTBDTBD 

Sunday Night Football Song

When Sunday Night Football debuted in 2006, singer-songwriter Pink sang the theme song for SNF. She reworked Joan Jett’s “I hate Myself for Loving You” and retitled it “Waiting All Day For Sunday Night.

From 2007-2012, Faith Hill took over for Pink to a mixed reaction. In 2013, Carrie Underwood has been the SNF singer. Since then, Underwood and NBC attempted a few different opening songs but they were met with a furious backlash. So, they returned to “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” as we wait for the upcoming SNF game.

Sunday Night Football Record

The following list is of each team’s all-time record on Sunday Night Football. This also includes postseason games as well:

TeamGamesWinsLossesTies
Arizona Cardinals14851
Atlanta Falcons166100
Baltimore Ravens3017130
Buffalo Bills141130
Carolina Panthers8260
Chicago Bears3411230
Cincinnati Bengals194150
Cleveland Browns6240
Dallas Cowboys6535300
Denver Broncos2816120
Detroit Lions15780
Green Bay Packers5028220
Houston Texans15870
Indianapolis Colts3719180
Jacksonville Jaguars5230
Kansas City Chiefs3822160
Las Vegas Raiders11470
Los Angeles Chargers2814140
Los Angeles Rams177100
Miami Dolphins9270
Minnesota Vikings2810180
New England Patriots4324190
New Orleans Saints261970
New York Giants4016240
New York Jets11560
Philadelphia Eagles4825230
Pittsburgh Steelers5229230
San Francisco 49ers2211110
Seattle Seahawks3220111
Tampa Bay Buccaneers13670
Tennessee Titans7250
Washington Commanders2210120