Thursday Night Football Same Game Parlay: Can We Count on Terry McLaurin Tonight?

Thursday Night Football Same Game Parlay: Can We Count on Terry McLaurin Tonight?

The 0-4 Chicago Bears hit the road to take on the Washington Commanders, who enter this game with a 2-2 record that was almost 3-1 after an overtime loss to the Eagles. The Commanders tied the game with the clock winding down, and Ron Rivera's decision to try the extra point instead of going for two to win the game may have cost them the game. The Eagles would go on to kick a walk-off field goal in overtime, hanging on to their perfect record. While this might not be the most exciting matchup we could see on Thursday night, there are still good betting angles on this game. I have a +710 same-game parlay for tonight that I love.

Bears vs. Commanders Date, Time, and Where to Watch

• Date: October 5, 2023
• Game Time: 8:15 pm ET
• Where to Watch: Prime Video

Thursday Night Football Same Game Parlay

Leg 1: Bears +10.5 Alternate Spread

For -230, you could also get the Commanders -2.5, which is tempting, but I actually see this game being closer than many might think. Sure, the Bears are 0-4, but last week may have been the best Fields has looked in a game in a Bears uniform, even if they lost the game on a crazy comeback. Without a doubt, it was Fields' best game through the air, as he surpassed 300 passing yards for the first time in his NFL career. He went 28-35 with 335 passing yards, four touchdowns, and an unfortunate pick. He took a big leap this past week, averaging 9.6 yards per pass with an 80% completion percentage. Sure, that game was against the Bronco's defense, but is the Commander's defense really that much better? Maybe by a little bit, but they have given up over 32 points in their last three games. The Bears defense actually held the Broncos to fewer points than the Commanders did.

I get that the Commanders should be favored here, as the Bears haven't won a game in nearly a calendar year, but the DJ Moore/Fields connection is starting to show, and Khalil Herbert is coming off his best game of the season, and one of the best in his career. With the Bears being 0-3-1 against the spread, this is an all-time "buy low" spot on the Bears. They can keep this within a double-digit game, and I'm taking them on the alternate spread instead of the Commanders because this could be a potential upset alert in which the entire betting world would go crazy. I won't say it's the most possible outcome, but it would not surprise me. This will be a crazy high-scoring game in which the last offense on the field could win the game, which leads me to the next leg.

Leg 2: Bears/Commanders Over 44.5

I don't usually play both the spread and total in the same parlay, but this is one of my favorite plays on the night. I get why the under seems appealing. The Commanders are average, 2-2, and have lost two in a row. The Bears are bad, 0-4, and may very well have the worst defense in the league. However, both teams have been in very high-scoring games so far this season due to horrible offenses and offenses that can be explosive (more so the Commanders) when given the opportunity, like against bad defenses. This game may very well be the worst defensive head-to-head matchup across all the games in week five.

The Bears are without their two starting defensive backs, Eddie Jackson and Jaylon Johnson, who held down the secondary for the Bears. Eddie Jackson was the veteran force in the defensive backfield that made the Bear's defense somewhat palatable. Without him, they look lost. The Bear's defense ranks 31st in DVOA, 29th in yards per play, and 32nd (dead last) in yards per completion allowed. The secondary is not good. They are starting two rookie cornerbacks, both of whom have room to grow, but the young presence is exploitable at the moment. While the Commanders don't look like the most imposing offense in the league, they threw for 299 yards on the Eagles on Sunday while putting up 31 points.

On the other side, the Commanders have given up 34, 37, and 33 points in the last three weeks. They were in a 68-point game with the Broncos, and this game could look very similar against the Bears. The Washington secondary is exploitable, and Fields finally looks more confident as a passer and has been finding DJ Moore down the field. The Bears have hit the over in every game this season, and they have yet to hold a team to under 25 points in 14 straight games through last season. This game surely hits over 50.

Leg 3: Terry McLaurin Anytime Touchdown

Leg 4: Terry McLaurin Over 60.5 Receiving Yards

These two are bundled because they are not mutually exclusive. McLaurin and Samuel are both deep threats, but I like the matchup for McLaurin slightly more because he will face a backup rookie cornerback playing his third full game in the NFL. Stevenson is a rookie, too, but he's graded higher and is actually a starter. He will have a majority of snaps against Dotson and Samuel.

McLaurin could nearly cash this on one play. A 40-50 yard touchdown and then one or two more receptions? He's there. The Bears have so many injuries in their secondary and so many new players in and switching around, all it takes is one miscommunication for McLaurin to find himself one one-on-one and burn his guy downfield. With this being a short week, too? It's certainly possible it happens.

McLaurin somehow has zero red zone targets so far this season, and that is just bound to change. Dotson leads the wide receivers with four, and McLaurin still has zero. That is bound to regress to the mean, and Howell should look McLaurin's way a few times in the red zone when they inevitably get there against this Bear's defense.

Thursday Night Football Same Game Parlay (+710)(Bet $100 to collect $810) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds

• Leg 1: Bears +10.5 Alternate Spread @ -230
• Leg 2: Bears/Commanders Over 44.5 @ -110
• Leg 3: Terry McLaurin Anytime Touchdown @ +175
• Leg 4: Terry McLaurin Over 60.5 Receiving Yards @ -110

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