By Stephen Nover

Surprised the defending NFC champion Chicago Bears are 3-point underdogs in the Sunday night matchup against the Green Bay Packers?

So is Las Vegas Sports Consultants senior oddsmaker Mike Seba. But he’s not surprised the way you might think.

While some may think the Bears are still the class of the NFC North Division with a defense capable of dominating, Seba isn’t one of those.

He’s stunned the Packers aren’t a bigger favorite. He made Green Bay -7 against Chicago. LVSC sent out Packers -4 to their many Nevada hotel clients.

“I could never take three, especially at Green Bay,” Seba said of the Bears. “I could see the line going to four.

“If you’re making the line three, you’re saying these teams are even. That’s not the case. The Bears are so shaky on offense.”

Chicago has scored three touchdowns on offense in four games. Rex Grossman already has been benched and Brian Griese doesn’t seem like much of an upgrade. Cedric Benson hasn’t impressed, the team has committed 14 turnovers and the defense has been hit hard by injuries, with four starters missing Sunday’s game against the Lions, including both starting cornerbacks and linebacker Lance Briggs.

The Packers would be a legitimate Super Bowl threat if they had a ground attack and a tight end that could stretch a defense. As it is, they have an excellent defense, underrated special teams, outstanding leadership and play from Brett Favre and excellent chemistry.

Now the Packers have a chance to show off all this on national television. The Bears have won and covered the past three years in Green Bay. They opened 1-3 two years ago and finished 11-5. But to pull that off again, they’ll need to get healthy on defense and have Griese and Benson step up.

Miami and San Diego have been two of the most disappointing AFC teams. The winless Dolphins are +5 ½ at the Texans, who last week were without their best wide receiver (Andre Johnson) and running back (Ahman Green).

Missing Johnson and Green, the Texans didn’t have enough punch to beat Atlanta last week. Yet they’ve opened a strong favorite against Miami.

“This line is reflecting an anti-Dolphins bias rather than Houston,” Seba said. “The Dolphins really needed the game Sunday (against the Raiders) and didn’t show up.

“If they (the Texans) would be at full strength with Johnson and Green, the line would get up to six.”

The Dolphins have yielded 103 points the past three weeks. Look for improved defensive play if middle linebacker Zach Thomas is able to return from a concussion that has kept him out of the past two games and the offense stops turning the ball over. Miami is minus 5 in turnover ratio.

The Broncos opened -1 hosting San Diego. If the Chargers would have defeated Kansas City this past Sunday as a 12-point home favorite, then the Broncos would have been home underdogs for the first time since 1999.

“You know they have talent,” Seba said of the Chargers. “You just don’t see it on the field. You can’t grade on potential. You have to see what they’re doing on the field.

“Whether it’s coaching, or chemistry or whatever, the Chargers just aren’t putting it all together. It’s the same team as last year. They’re just not doing it. Something isn’t right.

The Broncos, though, could be 0-4 instead of 2-2. Keep in mind they beat Buffalo by one point on the final play of the game and edged Oakland in overtime by calling a time-out right before the Raiders kicked what would have been a game-winning field goal.

Denver also has lost five of its past seven home games.

“You can’t make Denver -3,” Seba said. “But it (the line) deserves to be higher than pick, especially if (Javon) Walker is able to play.”

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