Miami Dolphins vs Chicago Bears odds, picks, line and spread - August 14 | NFL preseason 2021

The Miami Dolphins and the Chicago Bears will lock horns to open up their preseason with an interesting clash on Saturday. Who's going to win this game is not nearly as important as Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Fields showcasing their development following a full training camp.

The Bears and the Dolphins finished their 2020 season on a dreadful note. All that Miami had to do was beat the Buffalo Bills in their Week 17 matchup, but they failed to do so and couldn't book a spot in the playoffs. While Chicago did just enough to play in the postseason, they were no match for the New Orleans Saints and were quickly dismissed.

For 2021, it's a new life for both franchises as they hope that Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Fields can become stars of the future. The Dolphins are just finishing their rebuilding process that started after Adam Gase was fired, and the Bears are moving on from the Mitchell Trubisky experiment to inject new life in the franchise with the promising Justin Fields.

Well there’s no doubt the best QB on either field today was Justin Fields. Just completed a nearly perfect red zone period. Only incompletion was a drop by Riley Ridley in the back corner of the end zone on a good ball. All of Fields’ talent was on display. #Bears
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) August 12, 2021

Although they face a similar path, the expectations are much different for the young stars. Brian Flores has been lauded as one of the best coaches in the league because of his role in the rebuilding process, while Matt Nagy somehow survived another dreadful offensive year and is putting his eggs in the Justin Fields basket.

Miami is under pressure to qualify for the playoffs following last season's debacle, but Flores' job will still be safe if the Dolphins fail to do so. Chicago not only has to qualify for the playoffs, but they've got to be competitive in the postseason if Nagy still wants to have a job come February 2022.

Miami Dolphins at Chicago Bears: Betting odds

The Chicago Bears will enter their first preseason game of the 2021 season as -3.5 favorites over the Miami Dolphins.

The over/under for this game is 35.5 points.

Miami Dolphins at Chicago Bears: Picks

The Chicago Bears have the advantage in this game as they have better quarterback depth, and this is ultimately the biggest advantage a team can have in preseason.

Justin Fields is slated to get a large number of reps, while Tua Tagovailoa should play only one or two drives. The Bears should get this win in the first game of the preseason.

Miami Dolphins at Chicago Bears: Money line

Miami Dolphins (+155)

Chicago Bears (-175)

Miami Dolphins at Chicago Bears: Spread

The Chicago Bears offense will dominate the Miami Dolphins defense, especially when both second-teams are on the field.

The great news for the Dolphins is that they will finally be able to evaluate Tagovailoa in a competitive environment without complicating anything during the season. He is unlikely to play more than a couple of drives.

Tua Tagovailoa says it was good to go up against such a good defense and pass rush, says it helps to practice feeling that pressure even though it’s not live. pic.twitter.com/ABLuhvzhgZ
— Travis Wingfield (@WingfieldNFL) August 11, 2021

On the Bears side of things, Justin Fields playing until the fourth quarter will be the difference in this game. Look for the Bears to cover the -3.5 spread.