Bears vs. Titans odds, spread, pick: Chicago could be without 80 percent of starting offensive line

The last thing the offensively struggling Chicago Bears need is more issues on one of the NFL's most porous offensive lines, but it's possible they could be down to just projected starter on that unit for Sunday's game at Tennessee. The Titans, who like the Bears enter on a two-game skid, are 5.5-point favorites on the William Hill NFL odds.

Chicago's offensive line wasn't expected to be a strength in 2020 as it was, but the depletion really started about a month ago when left guard James Daniels was placed on season-ending injured reserve due to a torn pectoral muscle suffered in a Week 5 upset of Tampa Bay. The 2018 second-round pick out of Iowa had played in every game in his pro career (37) and started all but six.

Center Cody Whitehair, the best offensive lineman the Bears have, injured his calf in a Week 7 loss at the Rams and missed last Sunday's 26-23 OT loss to New Orleans. Whitehair is unlikely to play vs. the Titans but hasn't been ruled out yet.

Also against New Orleans, right tackle Bobby Massie suffered a knee injury on the fourth play vs. and didn't return. He was placed on injured reserve Tuesday and could miss a month. His fill-in, Jason Spriggs, landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday after testing positive for the coronavirus so he's obviously out this week.

Right guard Germain Ifedi was been deemed a "close contact" and also is on the reserve/COVID-19 list but has an outside chance of being cleared by Sunday. As of now, only Spriggs has tested positive on the Bears.

Thus, the only projected original starter who for sure will play against the Titans is left tackle Charles Leno Jr., who isn't exactly Ronnie Stanley. Chicago promoted Lachavious Simmons from the practice squad Tuesday and signed journeyman center Aaron Neary to that squad. Neary joined undrafted rookie offensive linemen Dieter Eiselen and Badara Traore on the practice squad.

Neary may have to start this game because the guy who started in place of Whitehair last week, undrafted free agent Sam Mustipher, was injured vs. the Saints, too, and is not looking great for Sunday.

Chicago could be looking at an anonymous starting five of Leno Jr., Simmons, Neary, Rashaad Coward and Arlington Hambright. That's a seventh-round pick, seventh-round pick, undrafted free agent, undrafted free agent and seventh-round pick, respectively.

It could be a very long day for QB Nick Foles and tailback David Montgomery. As it is, the Bears are averaging just 17.4 points in Foles' five starts (2-3 SU) and are second-to-last in the NFL in rushing at 85.6 yards per game overall.

Yeah, we like the Titans on Sunday as they look to avoid their first three-game losing streak since Weeks 5-7 of the 2018 season.

So which teams should you back in Week 9 of the 2020 NFL season? And which Super Bowl contender goes down HARD? ... Join SportsLine right now to see who wins and covers every single NFL game this week, plus get the exact final score, all from the acclaimed model that has returned over $7,800 on its top-rated NFL picks!