The Chicago Bears shouldn’t even be in this position considering where they were just over a month ago. Losing six-straight games after a 5-1 start? They should’ve fallen completely apart. Instead, they’ve somehow circled the wagons and won three in a row. Just like that they’re 8-7 and a win away from reaching the playoffs for the second time in three years. There’s a problem though.
That win will have to come against the Green Bay Packers. A team that is arguably one of the hottest in the NFL at 12-3. A team that thumped the Bears 41-25 in their first meeting and a team that is 22-4 against them in the past 26 meetings. One can understand why lots of fans are pessimistic about the Bears’ chances of winning this game. Especially in an empty Soldier Field with no fan support.
It’s a big reason why so many eyes will be on the Rams-Cardinals game.
That contest will be played at the same exact time and has huge ramifications for the Bears. If the Cardinals win, it means Chicago needs to beat Green Bay to make the playoffs. Otherwise, they’re eliminated. If the Rams win, the Bears could lose to the Packers and still reach the postseason anyway. Not the most graceful entrance but an entrance nonetheless.
Except the odds of that happening grow longer by the day. It started on Monday when it was revealed Rams quarterback Jared Goff had suffered a broken thumb on his throwing hand against Seattle. This necessitated surgery and he will miss the game against Arizona. If that weren’t bad enough, key running back Darrell Henderson is down too with a high ankle sprain.
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Sure enough, barely 24 hours after that wave of “good” news hit, fate struck again.
The #Rams placed WR Cooper Kupp on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 29, 2020
Chicago Bears can’t bank on the Rams doing them a solid
Kupp is the best wide receiver the Rams have. Losing their quarterback is bad enough. Losing one of the guys who might be able to help the backup find some success may hurt even more? This isn’t even accounting for key running back Cam Akers who’s already been dealing with a high ankle sprain of his own. Suffice to say the Rams are banged up and not exactly equipped to take down a desperate division rival like the Cardinals.
Is it still possible? Sure. San Francisco just got done doing that last week. Thanks to some strong offensive creativity and an excellent defensive performance, the 49ers stunned them 20-12. L.A. has a good defense too. It’s possible Sean McVay can cook up just enough points to give them a chance. Then again, knowing the Chicago Bears and their luck? Don’t count on it.
This season rests in their own hands.
If they want to prove to everybody they aren’t the mediocre team most think they are, it’s time to prove it. Send a message by knocking off a popular Super Bowl favorite in a must-win game. A team that has owned you for years. Otherwise, a loss will merely confirm what most suspected from the beginning. The Bears took advantage of a weak schedule to avoid a losing record and not much else.
