Our Jets vs Bears preview covers the latest odds, point spread, moneyline, total, kickoff time, TV channel and where to watch for the NFL Week 4 matchup between the New York Jets (1-2) and the Chicago Bears (2-1) on Sunday, October 4, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL. Kickoff is 1:00 PM ET (10:00 AM PT), and the game airs on FOX.
Week 4 storyline: The Bears come off a 27-7 Monday night win over Philadelphia with third-string QB Case Keenum and host the Jets on a short week. Caleb Williams is out for a second straight game with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, and Ben Johnson will not name a starter: “We’ll find out on Sunday,” he said Friday (ESPN). NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Tyson Bagent took most first-team reps and is in line to start, with Keenum as the backup.
As of Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, 7:01 AM PT (10:01 AM ET), DraftKings via ESPN lists the Bears as 3.5-point favorites over the Jets, with the moneyline at Jets +154 / Bears -185 and the over/under at 43.5. Since the open, the spread has moved from CHI -8.5 to CHI -3.5 and the total has moved from 45.5 to 43.5. Below are the full Jets vs Bears odds, both team previews, the official Week 4 injury report and TV details.
Jets vs Bears Odds & Preview Info
| Matchup detail | Line / info |
|---|---|
| Matchup | New York Jets at Chicago Bears |
| Records | Jets 1-2 (1-1 road) · Bears 2-1 (1-1 home) |
| Spread | Jets +3.5 (-108) · Bears -3.5 (-112) |
| Moneyline | Jets +154 · Bears -185 |
| Total | 43.5 (Over +100 / Under -120) |
| Venue | Soldier Field, Chicago, IL |
| Date/Time | Sunday, October 4, 2026 · 1:00 PM ET (10:00 AM PT) |
| TV | FOX |
| Head Coaches | Jets: Aaron Glenn · Bears: Ben Johnson |
| Quarterbacks | Jets: Geno Smith · Bears: not officially named, Tyson Bagent in line to start per NFL Network, Case Keenum the alternative (Caleb Williams out, hamstring) |
Odds: DraftKings via ESPN as of Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, 7:01 AM PT (10:01 AM ET). Opening line: CHI -8.5, total 45.5, moneyline Jets +300 / Bears -380. Line movement: the spread has moved from CHI -8.5 to CHI -3.5, and the total has moved from 45.5 to 43.5; the moneyline has gone from Jets +300 / Bears -380 at the open to Jets +154 / Bears -185. The DraftKings line has moved from CHI -3.5 (total 42.5) since this preview first ran on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Lines can move before kickoff.
New York Jets Preview
Season so far: The Jets opened with a 23-10 win at Tennessee. They lost 20-17 in overtime to Green Bay after leading by 10 in the fourth quarter, then lost 31-24 at Detroit, where they rallied from 14 points down to tie it, allowed the go-ahead touchdown with 2:25 left, and saw Geno Smith fumble on a sack on the final drive (AP). New York has scored 64 points and allowed 61.
Quarterback and key players: Smith, back with the franchise that drafted him, is 77 of 102 for 783 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions, a completion rate above 75% (ESPN). Frank Reich is the offensive coordinator. Breece Hall has 163 rushing yards. Garrett Wilson has 21 catches for 243 yards, and rookie TE Kenyon Sadiq had 105 yards and a touchdown in Week 3. Kingsley Enagbare has two sacks.
This week: The Jets ruled out Hall, WR Adonai Mitchell, TE Mason Taylor and LG Dylan Parham on Friday (ESPN). S Minkah Fitzpatrick, who hurt his groin six plays into the opener, practiced fully and returns. The Jets have gone 20 straight games, and 632 opponent pass attempts, without an interception (ESPN).
Chicago Bears Preview
Season so far: Chicago beat Carolina 59-37 in the highest-scoring season opener in NFL history, then lost 9-3 at home to Minnesota, the game in which Williams hurt his hamstring. On Monday night Keenum, 38, making his first start in 1,009 days, threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns, scored on a sneak and had no turnovers or sacks in the 27-7 win over the Eagles (AP, ESPN). The Bears have scored 89 points and allowed 53.
Quarterback situation: Johnson said the “direction” at quarterback was decided early in the week and that both Bagent and Keenum took full-team reps (ESPN). Bagent, the No. 2 quarterback coming out of training camp, last started in Week 10 of 2023, a 16-13 win over Carolina. He had just cleared the concussion protocol before the Eagles game and was Keenum’s backup.
Key players: D’Andre Swift has 253 rushing yards and three touchdowns and practiced fully Friday. Kalif Raymond leads the team with 214 receiving yards. Montez Sweat has two sacks, and rookie S Dillon Thieneman has 23 tackles and intercepted a pass against Philadelphia.
Jets vs Bears Key Injuries
Source: the official final Week 4 injury reports released Friday, Oct. 2, as posted on NFL.com, with injured reserve moves from ESPN’s injury tracker and context from team sites and ESPN. Practice notes refer to Friday’s session. Players not listed below carry no game designation.
New York Jets — Out: RB Breece Hall (quadriceps); LB Francisco Mauigoa (quadriceps); WR Adonai Mitchell (finger); G Dylan Parham (knee); TE Mason Taylor (thumb) · Doubtful: none · Questionable: DE Kingsley Enagbare (knee, limited Friday); TE Kenyon Sadiq (back, limited Friday) · Injured reserve (ESPN): WR Arian Smith (knee – ACL); DT David Onyemata (groin).
Chicago Bears — Out: CB Kyler Gordon (calf); OT Braxton Jones (knee); LB Noah Sewell (Achilles); DE Shemar Turner (knee); QB Caleb Williams (hamstring) · Doubtful: S Cam Lewis (hip, did not practice Friday) · Questionable: none · Injured reserve (ESPN): no notable recent IR moves listed.
Context: ESPN also lists S Anthony Johnson Jr. as out; he does not appear on the weekly practice report. Sewell and Turner remain out after the Bears opened their 21-day practice windows (The Athletic via ESPN). For the Jets, RB Kene Nwangwu and S Minkah Fitzpatrick were full participants and have no designation.
Jets vs Bears Key Matchup Notes
- Chicago’s quarterback call: Bagent or Keenum is the main pregame question, and Johnson says the answer comes Sunday.
- Smith’s ball security: Smith has no interceptions this season, and the Bears forced three turnovers on Monday night.
- Jets backfield without Hall: New York’s leading rusher is out, with Nwangwu available.
- Johnson vs Glenn: The two coaches faced each other often during Johnson’s time as Detroit’s offensive coordinator (AP).
- Short week for Chicago: The Bears played Monday night and host a Jets team that played on Sunday.
- Market snapshot: DraftKings opened CHI -8.5 with a 45.5 total and now shows CHI -3.5 and 43.5 (DraftKings via ESPN, as of 7:01 AM PT Saturday).
Kickoff, Venue & How to Watch New York Jets vs Chicago Bears
- Date: Sunday, October 4, 2026
- Kickoff: 1:00 PM ET (10:00 AM PT)
- Venue: Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
- TV / Streaming: FOX (regional broadcast; check local listings). Streaming: Fox One and the FOX Sports app (local FOX feed), NFL+ on phones and tablets, and NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube / YouTube TV for out-of-market viewers
Where to watch: the New York Jets vs Chicago Bears game airs on FOX at 1:00 PM ET. Final inactives are released about 90 minutes before kickoff.
This preview is for informational purposes only. It reports odds, injury designations and broadcast details from DraftKings via ESPN, NFL.com, team sites, ESPN and AP, and it does not offer betting advice. Odds, injury statuses and inactives can change before kickoff, so confirm with official sources. If you gamble, do so legally and responsibly; help is available at 1-800-GAMBLER. Information current as of Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, 7:01 AM PT (10:01 AM ET) for the Jets vs Bears game on October 4, 2026.