4 bold predictions for Bears’ Week 13 matchup vs. Lions

Will Mitchell Trubisky replicate his performance? Will Eddie Jackson get his first INT this season? Our Bears bold predictions vs. Lions.

The Chicago Bears (5-6) are looking to extend their winning streak to two when they face off against the struggling Detroit Lions (3-7-1) on Thanksgiving.

The Bears are looking to complete the season sweep against the Lions, as they defeated Detroit 20-13 in their first meeting three weeks ago. But Chicago will have to do it shorthanded, as they have six players already ruled out for Thursday’s game.

Here are four bold predictions for the Bears’ Week 13 matchup:

1. Mitchell Trubisky replicates 3-TD performance vs. Lions

Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Mitchell Trubisky has historically played well against the Detroit Lions in his career. He has an eight to three touchdown to interception ratio with a 68% completion, a 102.0 passer rating and an average of 7.9 yards per attempt, all numbers that rank better than his career numbers.

Factor in the fact the Lions defense is playing at its worst, most recently losing to the Dwayne Haskins-led Redskins. Then there’s that fact that one of Trubisky’s best games this season came just three weeks ago against the Lions, where he tossed three touchdowns.

Considering the Lions defense hasn’t improved much since their last meeting — and the Bears offense is looking to build off their third quarter success — Trubisky could be in for his best game this season, complete with a repeat three-touchdown performance.

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Pelicans vs. Lakers Preview: Anthony Davis return to New Orleans

Anthony Davis will return to the New Orleans for the first time since being traded as part of a Lakers team flying high early in the season.

Who: New Orleans Pelicans vs. Los Angeles Lakers

When: Wednesday, Nov. 27, 9:30 p.m ET

Where: Smoothie King Center

How to watch: ESPN

Arguably the most-anticipated game of the year for the Pelicans will see Anthony Davis return to New Orleans on Wednesday. The Lakers come in as arguably the hottest team in the league, winners of eight straight contests with the last three being road wins.

The Pelicans could hardly be further from that. Their own recent road trip was far less successful with losses to Utah and the Clippers in the final two legs. In the process of those losses, New Orleans gave up 128 and 134 points as the defense has continued to struggle. The Pelicans now hold the fourth-worst net rating and allow the fourth-highest effective field goal percentage per game.

Making matters worse is that the Lakers are one of the top offenses in the league. Los Angeles is fifth in overall effective field goal percentage, fifth in offensive net rating and have hit their stride in recent weeks. Since Nov. 3, the Lakers are third in the league in offensive rating.

Los Angeles has found its greatest success offensively in attacking the paint, ranking second in the league effective field goal percentage at the rim. While New Orleans ranks 16th in defending the rim, they will be without big man Derrick Favors, one of the players who likely would have been tasked with defending Davis.

The Lakers’ size could present problems for a smaller New Orleans side. With Brandon Ingram and Kenrich Williams often spending time at the four, each may be matched up on Davis on the night if the Pelicans do not change up rotations. If they do, head coach Alvin Gentry may turn to Nicolo Melli more as a bigger body on the former Pelican star.

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Dirk Koetter says Falcons have plan if Julio Jones can’t play Thursday

The Falcons may be without star wide receiver Julio Jones when the team takes on the New Orleans Saints on Thanksgiving night. 

The Falcons may be without star wide receiver Julio Jones when they take on the New Orleans Saints on Thanksgiving night.

Jones missed practice Monday and Tuesday while recovering from a shoulder injury he suffered during Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers. It’s anyone’s guess if he will suit up, and Atlanta is saying he’s a game-time decision.

The Falcons’ chances of completing a season sweep of New Orleans would take a hit if Jones can’t go Thursday. He leads the team with 950 receiving yards, and impacts the game even when he’s not getting the ball.

However, Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said the team has a plan in place if Jones sits out:

Obviously Atlanta would love to have its top weapon against a 9-2 Saints team, especially with tight end Austin Hooper likely out as well.

Second-year wideout Calvin Ridley should see an uptick in production if Jones can’t go. Over the past two games, Ridley has 14 catches for 228 yards and two touchdowns.

Also, keep your eyes on Russell Gage, who has already been highlighted as a fantasy football sleeper for Week 13. Gage is coming off of a career-best performance against the Bucs, grabbing eight catches for 76 yards.

Check back before kickoff on Thursday for the team’s inactives list.

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49ers face Ravens as big underdogs

The 49ers are underdogs for the first time since facing the Rams in Week 6.

The 49ers enter Sunday’s game in Baltimore in a relatively unfamiliar position. They’ll be underdogs against the red-hot Ravens. BetMGM has San Francisco as 6.5-point underdogs at M&T Bank Stadium.

It’s the first time the 49ers haven’t been favored in a game since Week 6 in Los Angeles. The line for Sunday opened at 4 points, but rapidly moved to 6.5 as money came in on the Ravens.

People may still not be sold on the 49ers. Despite a 10-1 start that includes a recent steamrolling of the Green Bay Packers, a soft early-season schedule has some holding out on buying into San Francisco. With that mindset, it makes sense that the Ravens, who’ve outscored opponents 172-46 the last four weeks, would be heavy betting favorites.

There’s also a big question mark around quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers offense. The NFL is such a quarterback-driven league that a team with MVP-candidate Lamar Jackson, facing an up-and-down quarterback like Garoppolo, would receive plenty of love from bettors.

Baltimore’s defense has gone under the radar because of Jackson’s meteoric rise. They’ve given up just 11.5 points per game in four contests since the bye week.

The Ravens and 49ers have followed the same formula this season for the most part. They get ahead, then run the ball like crazy and suffocate teams with swarming defenses that feast on one-dimensional attacks.

Sometimes a game comes down to who scores last, but Sunday could come down to who scores first.

[Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.]

Mallory Martin steps in to face Virna Jandiroba at UFC on ESPN 7

Mallory Martin wasn’t granted a contract this past summer on DWCS, but she didn’t have to wait long for a UFC offer.

[autotag]Mallory Martin[/autotag] wasn’t granted a contract this past summer on Dana White’s Contender Series, but she didn’t have to wait long for a UFC offer.

A veteran of Invicta FC and LFA, Martin (6-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) takes on former Invicta champ [autotag]Virna Jandiroba[/autotag] (14-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) at UFC on ESPN 7. Martin will replace [autotag]Livia Renata Souza[/autotag], who withdrew from the bout due to a back injury.

A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the news to MMA Junkie following an initial report from MMA Fighting.

UFC on ESPN 7 takes place Dec. 7 at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. The card airs on ESPN following early prelims on ESPN+.

Martin has won five straight fights entering UFC on ESPN 7. Her two career losses both came in 2017, suffered at the hands of Maycee Barber and Sunna Daviosdottir.

Jirandoba made her promotional debut in April at UFC on ESPN+ 8, where she lost to former UFC strawweight champion Carla Esparza by unanimous decision.

MAIN CARD (ESPN, 9 p.m. ET)

  • Alistair Overeem vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
  • Cynthia Calvillo vs. Marina Rodriguez
  • Ben Rothwell vs. Stefan Struve
  • Yana Kunitskaya vs. Aspen Ladd
  • Cody Stamann vs. Song Yadong
  • Rob Font vs. Ricky Simon

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, 7 p.m. ET)

  • Thiago Alves vs. Tim Means
  • Billy Quarantillo vs. TBA
  • Bryce Mitchell vs. Matt Sayles
  • Joe Solecki vs. Matt Wiman

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 5:30 p.m. ET)

  • Virna Jandiroba vs. Mallory Martin
  • Makhmud Muradov vs. Trevor Smith

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Week 13 NFL TV schedule and game maps

There are five primetime games this week so the Sunday schedule is a bit light. That’s what happens when three games are played on Thanksgiving, and Sunday and Monday night have their usual slate. Somehow the Niners-Ravens game didn’t get flexed to …

There are five primetime games this week so the Sunday schedule is a bit light. That’s what happens when three games are played on Thanksgiving, and Sunday and Monday night have their usual slate. Somehow the Niners-Ravens game didn’t get flexed to Sunday Night. We do get Patriots-Texans though. Monday Night Football is a pretty good game as well as the Vikings travel to Seattle to face the Seahawks. As usual, thanks to 506Sports.com for the maps.

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Report: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander commits to Canada for 2020 Olympics

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would bring quality guard play to Team Canada in next summer’s Olympics.

Canada has produced some of the NBA’s best international talent, along with countries in Europe as well as Australia.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the best Canadian-born players in the NBA. With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics a year away, Gilgeous-Alexander announced Tuesday on Twitter his commitment to Canada.

Along with Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray also said Tuesday on Twitter he was committed to playing for Canada.

Per Josh Lewenberg of The Sports Network, New York Knicks rookie R.J. Barrett announced his commitment Wednesday.

A second-year player out of Kentucky, Gilgeous-Alexander would bring quality guard play to Canada. With himself, Murray and Barrett, Canada would boast some of the best guard depth in the Olympics. New Orleans Pelicans rookie guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker also announced his commitment Tuesday.

Canada, along with countries such as Australia and Serbia, has the potential to present Team USA with some problems. The world is filled with great basketball players, and the talent pool for next year’s Olympics will perhaps be the deepest and best it has ever been.

Gilgeous-Alexander is having a good start to his sophomore season. He leads the Thunder in scoring, and he’s averaging career-highs in points (19.3), rebounds (5.3) and 3-point percentage (40.3%).

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