Atlanta Falcons @ Chicago Bears Free NFL Pick

Atlanta Falcons @ Chicago Bears Free NFL Pick: The Bears lasted longer than the Falcons in the playoffs last season and, don’t put too much weight into it, but the Bears will be better in 2011 than they were in 2010. I know everybody wants to take the Falcons this year as the team that will finally turn the corner – and that may be true, but this is too good of value to pass up with Chicago.

First thing is that it’s a home game for the Bears and they are always better at home. Last year the Bears took down Green Bay, Philadelphia and the New York Jets at home. They won themselves a first round bye in the playoffs and made it all the way to the NFC Championship where they lost to the Packers with an injured Jay Cutler at QB, 21-14.

In other words, the Bears are a lot better than people think (a lot better than I ever thought they were, that’s for sure) and that’s because they are legit defensively and despite getting a bad reputation for making too many mistakes and not blocking very well, they are efficient enough offensively to get the job done.

The Falcons are solid, no doubt, but I think Matty Ryan gets a little too much credit for being a great Quarterback, he’s more Jay Cutler than Tom Brady, that’s for sure. At home, getting points, I like the Bears against just about anybody.

Atlanta Falcons @ Chicago Bears (+3)