The Chicago Bears know their chances of making a surprise playoff run are fading fast. They have to get in the win column right now, or it’s over. They aren’t going to get a better opportunity than this Sunday against a Detroit Lions team closer to the #1 pick in 2023 than any thoughts of contention. That doesn’t make the game itself a gimme. The Bears aren’t strong enough to overlook any opponent. Still, the odds aren’t stacked against them like they’ve been the past few weeks.
Detroit continues to have a crisis of identity. They aren’t sure who they are. The team doesn’t lack talent like in years past. They appear to have multiple quality players. Yet they can’t get them to coalesce into something more. For the Bears, it’s the opposite problem. Their coaching staff appears competent, but a lack of overall talent on the field seems to hold them back from closing games. This can often make for a fascinating matchup when two such teams meet.
Chicago Bears have no reason to fear this opponent.
Backstory:
Detroit was the summer darling of the NFL. They’d loaded up on fresh talent, including multiple 1st round picks. Their head coach Dan Campbell was already a fan favorite. This team felt poised to finally rebound after multiple disappointing years. Instead, it’s been more of the same. They’ve only won twice this year and are 0-3 on the road. Chicago isn’t much better at 3-6, but they seem to have more momentum building despite losing their past two games. That is thanks to the sudden ascent of their young quarterback, Justin Fields.
Injuries:
Kerby Joseph (concussion) – There are plenty of problems with the Lions defense. Joseph isn’t one of them. The journeyman safety has been their best player in the secondary with two interceptions. Not having him for Sunday would be a significant blow since Detroit has the 29th-ranked pass defense in football. Chicago has lots of speed at wide receiver. Not having him over the top would create serious danger.
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Kindle Vildor (ankle) – Chicago’s secondary is hurting too. Vildor has enjoyed a nice bounce-back season after his rough 2021 campaign. The Chicago Bears already had depth concerns at cornerback coming into this year. Losing Vildor would be untimely since passing the ball is one of the few things Detroit seems to do well this season. This is especially bad with how anemic the pass rush continues to be.
Key matchups:
Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. Kyler Gordon – Most of the Lions’ passing game went through either St. Brown or T.J. Hockenson. With Hockenson out of the picture and Josh Reynolds hurt, it’s obvious Detroit will look to feed their top receiver as often as possible. He primarily lines up in the slot, which means it will fall to the rookie Gordon to handle him. That is a tough challenge for anybody, much less somebody of his inexperience.
Aidan Hutchinson vs. Braxton Jones – The #2 overall pick is the saving grace of Detroit’s defensive line. He has 4.5 sacks this season. Nobody else has more than one. That makes the task obvious for the Bears. Don’t let him wreck the game. It’s a safe bet the Lions will get him lined up on fellow rookie Jones who’s been up and down in recent weeks. If Chicago can slow Hutchinson down, their passing game could have a big afternoon.
X-factors:
Justin Fields – Detroit has struggled against most quarterbacks this year, but they’ve particularly struggled against mobile quarterbacks. Jalen Hurts ran for 90 yards against them. Geno Smith had 47, and even Aaron Rodgers had 40. Fields just got done trampling Miami for 178 yards. The Lions are obviously aware of how dangerous he is. Then again, so were the Dolphins, and it didn’t matter.
Jamaal Williams – D’Andre Switch has battled multiple injuries of late. This puts the running game on Williams’ shoulders. He’s done a strong job in that time, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. The veteran has some memorable performances against the Chicago Bears, and it’s no secret their run defense is weak. Williams could see lots of action in hopes of keeping Fields on the sideline.
Prediction: Bears win 28-21
This is a rare game where the matchups actually favor the Bears. They’re at home, and the Lions aren’t good on the road. The weather will be colder, which doesn’t favor a dome team. Last but not least, they have a red-hot quarterback with a skill set that has given this opponent fits all year. No game is a gimme for this team, but the Bears should win this one and are capable of winning it handily.
