5 bold predictions for Bears vs. Saints

Week 7 of the NFL season is here, and the Chicago Bears have a winning record for the first time in nearly a full calendar year. The Bears (3-2) will try and keep it that way when they welcome the New Orleans Saints (1-6) to Soldier Field. A win against the Saints will extend Chicago's winning streak to four, their longest since 2018, while simultaneously ending a losing one. Chicago has not beaten the Saints in over 15 years, losing eight in a row. It's their longest active losing streak against any team, and the Bears are hoping to snap it on Sunday.

Though the Saints have one of the worst records in the NFL, they have been a scrappy team that has been in virtually every game. They are playing competitive football under a new coaching staff, proving they won't be as easy of an out as some may think. But with this being a revenge game of sorts that is being played in less-than-ideal weather conditions, who knows what will transpire on the lakefront? Here are five bold predictions ahead of Bears vs. Saints:

1. Bears score multiple TDs in 1st quarter

The last time the Bears played at Soldier Field, they quickly put the Dallas Cowboys in a hole with two touchdowns in the first quarter. Fast starts on offense have become a staple of Ben Johnson's opening scripts, and the Bears are facing a team that doesn't seem to do well when it comes to getting off to a fast start. The Saints have been outscored 65 to 16 in the first quarter this season, while the Bears have scored in every first quarter.

It doesn't matter who gets the ball to open the game; the Saints can't score in the first quarter, and Chicago has no problem doing so. Expect the Bears to come out hot with two touchdowns and a big lead. They will just need to hold it for the final three quarters.

2. Rome Odunze snags 2 touchdown receptions

The Saints defense isn't just adept at falling behind early in games; they also can't seem to stop passing touchdowns from their opponents. New Orleans has allowed multiple passing touchdowns in eight straight games, which is the longest active streak in the NFL, according to ESPN. Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams will be licking their chops to exploit certain matchups on Sunday, and it feels like Rome Odunze will be the lucky beneficiary.

Odunze has clearly become the top receiving threat for the Bears this season, as he leads the team in targets (40), receptions (22), yards (328), and touchdowns (five). He nearly had his sixth on Monday when Williams lobbed a ball up in the air, giving Odunze a chance to secure it. While he made a spectacular catch, the score was brought back due to a questionable penalty on Theo Benedet. Nevertheless, Odunze is the Bears' go-to guy in scoring situations, accounting for 30% of the Bears' targets in the red zone. Those are all the right ingredients for a big scoring day from No. 15.

3. Bears force multiple fumbles

Despite the Saints' woeful record, they're a team that takes care of the football. Through six games, the Saints have turned the ball over just four times, all coming in different games. The Bears, meanwhile, have been heat seekers when it comes to taking the ball away. They're second in the NFL with 12, trailing only the Jacksonville Jaguars. So which side will prevail?

It's unfair to think the Bears can keep up this pace of forcing takeaways, but I believe the defense will rally around defensive coordinator Dennis Allen as they face his former team. Allen preaches turnovers and the Bears have responded. Maybe they won't get Spencer Rattler to throw interceptions, but they will force a fumble or two.

4. Dayo Odeyingbo gets his 1st sack since the opener

Dayo Odeyingbo has been virtually invisible since his productive Week 1 performance. In the last four games, Odeyingbo has totaled no sacks, no tackles for loss, and just one QB hit. That's not good enough for what he was brought in to do during the offseason. But this week could be a game where Odeyingbo rises to the occasion with a favorable matchup.

When the Saints take the field on Sunday, rookie Kelvin Banks will be the starting left tackle for the New Orleans offense. Banks has had a fine season, but he's struggled with power rushers to start his career. Odeyingbo is one of the bigger defensive ends Banks will face, and I believe he will be able to get home for his first sack in over a month. It won't make up for the lack of production from the last four weeks, but it's a start.

5. The Bears and Saints each miss a field goal attempt

The Bears are once again going to be without Cairo Santos, so Jake Moody will be the kicker for the second week in a row. Moody rose to the occasion against the Washington Commanders but still has the capability of imploding. Meanwhile, Saints kicker Blake Grupe has had a disastrous year, converting just 73.7% of his field goals this season. Put both kickers in a potentially windy and rainy Soldier Field, and we could see multiple missed field goals. In fact, I'm counting on it.

Conditions at Soldier Field as of now could see gusts as high as 40 mph with rain ending right before kickoff. Neither kicker has played in that stadium before, which is regarded as one of the most difficult places for kickers. Hopefully this one doesn't come down to a field goal attempt again for the Bears.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 5 bold predictions for Bears vs. Saints