The Matchup. Edge: TBA.

HATE MAIL: We’re going to post hate mail here this year. Here’s a reply on X:

It sucks that this person deleted his comment, but it went something like, “I thought your 350-pound fat a** was boycotting this game!?”

Meanwhile, I had some fun replying to idiots who believe that trans people are a real thing. No one in the history of humanity has ever changed their gender, no matter how many pointless surgeries they’ve had, but idiots don’t seem to understand this concept:

Whoa, mind blown! If there’s no such thing as WalterFootball.com, what are you reading right now!?

Another one:

Tylenol is a good explanation for why there are so many whack jobs out there. Here’s the rest of the conversation:

Imagine being dumb enough to believe that you can change the chromosome your dad gave you from X to Y, or vice versa, simply by wearing odd clothes and having some external surgeries. Yikes.

BALTIMORE OFFENSE: We must begin with the Ravens because that’s where all the uncertainty lies. Lamar Jackson was expected to return from injury this week, but he didn’t practice on Monday. I laughed when I saw someone on X say that Jackson recovers slower than some old lady who had fallen down at the nursing home.

Jackson’s presence obviously has an immense impact on this game. The Ravens won’t have much of a chance against an improved Chicago defense with either Cooper Rush or Tyler Huntley, but Jackson will be able to break free for some long gains on the ground. I don’t trust the Chicago ends to keep him in the pocket like the Lions did several weeks ago. Jackson will also attack a secondary missing its best cornerback.

Derrick Henry will also benefit from Jackson’s presence. Defending Henry is very difficult with Jackson beside him in the pocket. If Jackson is out, however, Chicago’s 11th-ranked run defense should be able to keep Henry in check.

CHICAGO OFFENSE: We’re awaiting major injury news on this side of the ball as well. Half of Baltimore’s defense was sidelined for a couple of games prior to the bye. We know that someone like Nnamdi Madubuike will not be returning, but Roquan Smith and others being available would be huge.

It’s difficult to diagnose this matchup at the moment because we don’t know which Baltimore players will be available. What we do know is that the Ravens showcased one of the worst defenses in the NFL because of their countless injuries. The only team worse against the rush is the Bengals, and we know that Ben Johnson really wants to run the ball. D’Andre Swift will have a big game if the important Ravens are still sidelined.

The Ravens are also generating no pressure on the quarterback. Caleb Williams could have all the time in the world behind his improved offensive line to find his plethora of weapons for consistent, substantial gains.

RECAP: It’s impossible to give you a confident pick at the moment. We simply don’t know the status of Jackson and all of the key defenders who have a chance to return this week. If Jackson and enough defenders return, I’ll be on the Ravens. If it’s just Jackson, but most of the defensive players are still out, I’ll side with the Bears. If no one on Baltimore returns, Chicago could be a big play for us.

Check back later in the week for an update on this selection!

THURSDAY THOUGHTS: The good news for the Ravens is that most of their defensive players returned to practice in some capacity. In fact, all but Marlon Humphrey practiced. The bad news is that while Lamar Jackson was limited in practice, he shared reps with Cooper Rush and Tyler Huntley.

SATURDAY NOTES: If Lamar Jackson is back and healthy, the Ravens look great. All of their defensive players will return, save for Nnamdi Madubuike. Jackson is questionable, which is worrying. He was full in Friday’s practice, but there’s no guarantee that he’ll be 100 percent. However, something else to consider is that the Bears will be without their top three cornerbacks, as Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon will be out, while Jaylon Johnson is already on IR. I’m going to take my two units on the Jets and throw them on the Ravens. Remember, this is not a pick change because I was undecided earlier in the week.

The Motivation. Edge: None.

No edge found.

The Spread. Edge: TBA.

WalterFootball.com Calculated Spread: Ravens -5.5 (Jackson) or Bears -4.5 (no Jackson).

Westgate Advance Point Spread: Ravens -6.5.

Computer Model: Ravens -6.5 (Jackson) or Bears -3.5 (no Jackson).

The Vegas. Edge: TBA.

Equal action.

Percentage of money on Baltimore: 53% (46,000 bets)

The Trends. Edge: TBA.

Opening Line: Ravens -6.5.

Opening Total: 49.5.

Weather: Slight chance of rain, 58 degrees. Lght wind.

The Matchup. Edge: None.

HATE MAIL: We’re going to post hate mail here this year. Here’s a reply on X:

It sucks that this person deleted his comment, but it went something like, “I thought your 350-pound fat a** was boycotting this game!?”

Meanwhile, I had some fun replying to idiots who believe that trans people are a real thing. No one in the history of humanity has ever changed their gender, no matter how many pointless surgeries they’ve had, but idiots don’t seem to understand this concept:

Whoa, mind blown! If there’s no such thing as WalterFootball.com, what are you reading right now!?

Another one:

Tylenol is a good explanation for why there are so many whack jobs out there. Here’s the rest of the conversation:

Imagine being dumb enough to believe that you can change the chromosome your dad gave you from X to Y, or vice versa, simply by wearing odd clothes and having some external surgeries. Yikes.

BALTIMORE OFFENSE: We must begin with the Ravens because that’s where all the uncertainty lies. Lamar Jackson was expected to return from injury this week, but he didn’t practice on Monday. I laughed when I saw someone on X say that Jackson recovers slower than some old lady who had fallen down at the nursing home.

Jackson’s presence obviously has an immense impact on this game. The Ravens won’t have much of a chance against an improved Chicago defense with either Cooper Rush or Tyler Huntley, but Jackson will be able to break free for some long gains on the ground. I don’t trust the Chicago ends to keep him in the pocket like the Lions did several weeks ago. Jackson will also attack a secondary missing its best cornerback.

Derrick Henry will also benefit from Jackson’s presence. Defending Henry is very difficult with Jackson beside him in the pocket. If Jackson is out, however, Chicago’s 11th-ranked run defense should be able to keep Henry in check.

CHICAGO OFFENSE: We’re awaiting major injury news on this side of the ball as well. Half of Baltimore’s defense was sidelined for a couple of games prior to the bye. We know that someone like Nnamdi Madubuike will not be returning, but Roquan Smith and others being available would be huge.

It’s difficult to diagnose this matchup at the moment because we don’t know which Baltimore players will be available. What we do know is that the Ravens showcased one of the worst defenses in the NFL because of their countless injuries. The only team worse against the rush is the Bengals, and we know that Ben Johnson really wants to run the ball. D’Andre Swift will have a big game if the important Ravens are still sidelined.

The Ravens are also generating no pressure on the quarterback. Caleb Williams could have all the time in the world behind his improved offensive line to find his plethora of weapons for consistent, substantial gains.

RECAP: It’s impossible to give you a confident pick at the moment. We simply don’t know the status of Jackson and all of the key defenders who have a chance to return this week. If Jackson and enough defenders return, I’ll be on the Ravens. If it’s just Jackson, but most of the defensive players are still out, I’ll side with the Bears. If no one on Baltimore returns, Chicago could be a big play for us.

Check back later in the week for an update on this selection!

THURSDAY THOUGHTS: The good news for the Ravens is that most of their defensive players returned to practice in some capacity. In fact, all but Marlon Humphrey practiced. The bad news is that while Lamar Jackson was limited in practice, he shared reps with Cooper Rush and Tyler Huntley.

SATURDAY NOTES: If Lamar Jackson is back and healthy, the Ravens look great. All of their defensive players will return, save for Nnamdi Madubuike. Jackson is questionable, which is worrying. He was full in Friday’s practice, but there’s no guarantee that he’ll be 100 percent. However, something else to consider is that the Bears will be without their top three cornerbacks, as Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon will be out, while Jaylon Johnson is already on IR. I’m going to take my two units on the Jets and throw them on the Ravens. Remember, this is not a pick change because I was undecided earlier in the week.

UPDATE: The Ravens lied on the injury report. They claimed Lamar Jackson was full on Friday, but he just ran with the scout team. He was declared out. The Ravens are now -1.5. I like them because good teams tend to play well with their backup quarterback, and unlike what we saw prior to the bye, Baltimore is healthy otherwise. However, I won’t be betting this game because I’m also not a fan of backing reserve quarterbacks versus top-10 defenses. Chicago’s defense is ninth in EPA.

PLAYER PROPS: I would have loved Mark Andrews if Lamar Jackson were playing. I still think he can score with Tyler Huntley, and his odds are more favorable anyway. The best odds are +340 at FanDuel. You can Get $200 in bonus bets from FanDuel by clicking the link.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I’ve had several people ask me why the Ravens are favored. The sharps are laughing at this. They’ve bet the Ravens over the past 24 hours. If you want to follow, the best line is -2.5 -115 at Caesars. You can Get $1,000 First Bet on Caesars by clicking the link.

The Motivation. Edge: None.

No edge found.

The Spread. Edge: TBA.

WalterFootball.com Calculated Spread: Ravens -5.5 (Jackson) or Bears -4.5 (no Jackson).

Westgate Advance Point Spread: Ravens -6.5.

Computer Model: Ravens -6.5 (Jackson) or Bears -3.5 (no Jackson).

The Vegas. Edge: None.

The public is confused about why the Ravens are favored.

Percentage of money on Baltimore: 72% (120,000 bets)

The Trends. Edge: None.

Opening Line: Ravens -6.5.

Opening Total: 49.5.

Weather: Slight chance of rain, 58 degrees. Lght wind.