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Whether it be preseason or regular season, a team is subservient to the expectations table. When a team has expectations above their talent level, big trouble. When a squad has expectations below what their actual talent dictates, great things can happen.

Two teams that illustrate this factor meet tonight at Giants Stadium when New York hosts the Chicago Bears. Last year, the Bears were coming off four straight last place finishes in the NFC North Division. Even after the team acquired defensive standout Khalil Mack just before the regular season kicked off, fans were in a wait and see mode.

But, after vaulting the rest of their division to go from last to first, Chicago fans were out in spirited fashion as if it was 1985 all over again. When they opened the playoffs at home against the defending Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles, the Bears were favored. When a medium distance field goal, 43-yards, is all that stood between them and advancing to the Divisional round of the postseason, the crowd at Soldier Field was on their feet.

Then, the kick missed, and the Bears 12-4 regular season ended with a Wild Card playoff game loss.

But, fear not, the success of last season, the addition of a couple key players, and the continued development of quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, has Chicago fans expecting this to be a big year.

The Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars open second week preseason action tonight in Florida. Both these teams lost their opening summer scrimmage, the Eagles at home to the Tennessee Titans, 27-10, and the Jaguars at Baltimore to the Ravens, 29-0.

While neither team is looking to extend playing time of their veterans tonight, it is worth noting that the Eagles like where they are and head coach Doug Pederson is quite satisfied with his vets in practices. In fact, quarterback Carson Wentz has looked sharp, but again will not see action tonight in preseason action.

A team satisfied off a lopsided loss is a lot different than a team concerned off a lopsided loss. Preseason or not, the Jaguars are feeling the pressure with their quarterback situation.

Blake Bortles was the Jaguars first round draft choice, the third pick overall, in 2014. The Jaguars chose the University of Central Florida standout confident they were getting their franchise QB.

Didn’t happen.

Reporters working the crime desk in a newsroom do not drive around at night looking for illegal activity. What they do is watch the police scanner and when it shows some action, they head for the scene.

A severe shift in an NFL point spread is like a police scanner, it sends an alert that something has been discovered in a matchup that seemingly shifts the advantage to one side.

Case in point, this Monday the books posted the homestanding Los Angeles Rams a field goal favorite, then suddenly shifted the point spread to make the Los Angeles Chargers the road favorite by 2½ points. The 5½ point shift, indicating something major happening to one or both of these teams heading into their weekend showdown.

Information I have not yet confirmed, will no doubt uncover conflicting coaching philosophies entering this game. One coach working on something other than the scoreboard, and the other side more interested in the final score. Early information can be right or wrong, but when the books move a point spread five-and-one-half points in a blink, something major is favoring one side over the other.

What we know is the sharpees call was the Chargers plus a field goal on the spread, and that sent the wise guy money to the window in droves. Now the tug-a-war between what number erases the Chargers statistical edge?