The Chicago Bears will attempt to keep away from making historical past for the second time in three years after they meet the Seattle Seahawks at Soldier Discipline for “Thursday Night time Soccer.”
The Bears (4-11) enter their penultimate recreation on a nine-game dropping streak and will tie the franchise report of 10 consecutive losses in a single season — a report they set to finish the 2022 season.
In the meantime, the Seahawks (8-7) are attempting to maintain their lengthy shot playoff probabilities alive with a victory.
Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown mentioned he expects to play his wholesome starters regardless of the low stakes for his staff. As kickoff approaches, right here’s our have a look at the sport.
Participant within the highlight
Caleb Williams
Regardless of a dismal couple of months for the Bears, Williams has had some sturdy moments, together with as he threw for 334 yards and two touchdowns within the loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 16.
That outing upped his season complete to three,271 yards with 19 touchdowns and 5 interceptions, bringing him simply 568 passing yards away from breaking the Bears’ all-time single-season passing report with two video games to go. He already has the very best rookie season in franchise historical past and is sixth all-time on the Bears checklist.
The Lions recreation additionally was his ninth straight with out throwing an interception, an NFL rookie report, and his 326 move makes an attempt with out an interception is the sixth-longest single-season stretch in NFL historical past, in accordance with the Bears.
In fact, Williams’ passing stats have been padded a bit because the Bears have began slowly and performed from behind in a number of video games.
However Williams mentioned after the Lions recreation he finds the entire reps helpful. And within the ultimate two video games, he needs to remove a number of the fumbling points he’s had in current weeks, and he additionally needs to “hold being environment friendly.”
“That doesn’t simply imply once I throw the soccer,” Williams mentioned. “That’s with all of the alerts, the time, the play clock, ensuring cadence (is correct), serving to offensive linemen out, regardless of the case could also be.”
Thursday’s recreation is one other probability to construct on his numbers towards a Seahawks protection that’s middle-of-the-road in most classes, although it does rank twelfth in third down and pink zone percentages.
Offensive coordinator Chris Beatty additionally mentioned the Seahawks give numerous seems and have numerous nice gamers up entrance.
“With the ability to get us in the correct safety is one, after which having the ability to get some depth from the road of scrimmage is 2,” Beatty mentioned. “You may’t let these guys reset the pocket again in his lap. (Williams) understanding the place we have to slide and people sorts of issues is a part of it, and the opposite half is to get set, get his toes within the floor and have the ability to get via his progressions shortly and get the ball out of his hand.”
Urgent query
Can a lackluster Bears protection rattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith?
In his third season as a full-time starter with the Seahawks, Smith has accomplished 70.1% of his passes for 3,937 yards. However he additionally has had his highest interception fee (2.8%) since he revived his profession with the Seahawks in 2022.
Smith is tied for second within the NFL with 15 interceptions this season, behind solely Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins’ 16. Smith threw two interceptions towards the Minnesota Vikings in Week 16 and one towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers in Week 15.
Smith, who has 17 landing passes this season, is also tied for the third-most sacks with 45, behind Williams’ 60 and C.J. Stroud’s 47.
These numbers should be intriguing for a Bears protection that has been quick on each takeaways and sacks these days. The Bears have simply two interceptions and 9 sacks within the final 5 video games. The downturn has coincided with the Bears giving up 30 or extra factors 4 instances and greater than 400 yards 4 instances in 5 video games.
However Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington mentioned there’s a lot to be cautious of in terms of Smith.
“Arm expertise. Velocity. He could make any throw,” Washington mentioned. “He’s actually assured in his arm and really sturdy. He can match it into tight areas. He doesn’t wish to run however he has sufficient athletic skill to maneuver round within the pocket and stop you from getting a clear shot on him.”
Regulate
Seahawks vast receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba and DK Metcalf
Washington known as the Seahawks’ vast receivers a “dynamic pair” with totally different ability units that may problem a protection’s skill to take care of its protection self-discipline.
Smith-Njigba has 93 catches for 1,089 and 6 touchdowns in his second NFL season.
“Simply ensuring that on a number of the deeper routes, on a number of the issues that problem the beneath a part of your protection that we keep self-discipline with our drops,” Washington mentioned of containing Smith-Njigba. “After which every little thing begins with our skill to have an effect on the quarterback.”
Washington mentioned the Seahawks will scheme to get the soccer to Metcalf, who has 60 catches for 897 yards and 4 touchdowns.
The Bears have had bother containing a number of the gifted ability place gamers they’ve confronted in current weeks. And Washington mentioned Seattle first-year offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb presents many challenges to doing that.
“Primary, there’s numerous motion pre-snap,” Washington mentioned. “In order that they’re going to problem your readiness. We’ve talked about that. Now we have to ensure that because the elements are transferring, the ultimate alignment and the ultimate association they’ve, we have to perceive precisely what we’re doing so far as our assignments are involved.”
Rising connection
Williams and rookie vast receiver Rome Odunze linked on 4 passes for 77 yards Sunday. It was Odunze’s third-best receiving yards output of the season, however the efficiency was most notable for the conditions by which he got here via.
He had a 15-yarder on third-and-8, a 13-yarder on fourth-and-3, and a 30-yarder on fourth-and-1. These catches helped erase the dangerous style from two earlier fumbles.
“Our relationship through the years goes to be important, I feel, for the staff,” Williams mentioned. “To proceed to develop that’s going to be actually enjoyable and actually important. He’s going to get higher, particularly with the fellows he has had right here this yr with him. Rome with DJ (Moore) and Keenan (Allen), two guys who’ve been doing it for some time. I feel it’s serving to him having the ability to watch these guys and the way they transfer and the way they work.”
Odunze mentioned Monday he wasn’t but prepared to judge his rookie season, by which he has 51 catches for 701 yards and three touchdowns. However he agreed his reference to Williams has been constructing from the beginning.
“You’re feeling that confidence (from him), and also you feed off of that from each other,” Odunze mentioned. “I feel that we do this properly, however you’ve acquired to go on the market and show it on the sphere, and we now have to proceed to do this. Sort of like Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers, they should exit and show that each single Sunday.”
Damage report
The Bears will probably be with out each beginning left deal with Braxton Jones and left guard Teven Jenkins on Thursday.
Jones went on injured reserve as a result of he’s anticipated to wish surgical procedure on his damaged ankle. Jenkins was dominated out Wednesday with a calf harm.
Operating again Travis Homer (hamstring), security Elijah Hicks (ankle/foot) and defensive again Tarvarius Moore (knee) additionally have been dominated out.
Defensive deal with Gervon Dexter (knee), guard/heart Doug Kramer (shoulder) and linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga (hip) are listed as questionable after being restricted in the course of the week.
For the Seahawks, tight finish Brady Russell (foot), working again Kenneth Walker (ankle) and security Okay’Von Wallace (ankle) have been dominated out.
Predictions
Brad Biggs (10-5)
The Seahawks stay alive within the playoff hunt, a recreation behind the Rams with a Week 18 finale at Los Angeles, so this can be a must-win recreation for them after squandering a late lead towards the Vikings final Sunday. The Bears should piece collectively the left facet of the offensive line, changing deal with Braxton Jones and guard Teven Jenkins. The Seahawks haven’t run the ball significantly properly however they’re efficient throwing it and the Bears have given up too many massive performs of late. The Bears rank thirty first in yards per try allowed at 7.42 and have had greater than two sacks solely as soon as within the final three video games.
Seahawks 24, Bears 17
Colleen Kane (11-4)
The Seahawks are an unexceptional staff, and the Bears get them at Soldier Discipline on a brief follow week the day after Christmas. So — once more — there may very well be a possibility for the Bears to tug an upset. However I’ve thought that just a few instances in the course of the Bears’ nine-game dropping streak, and so they simply hold discovering methods to disappoint. Perhaps then this final residence recreation no less than gained’t be fairly as ugly because the current blowout losses? For everybody nonetheless left watching this staff, the actual draw is seeing Caleb Williams proceed his progress, and there must be a possibility for extra of that this week, if he found out conquer the fast turnaround.
Seahawks 24, Bears 23
Dan Wiederer (10-5)
The Seahawks are the quintessential middle-tier staff within the NFL. Not nice at a lot. Not horrible. Aggressive most weeks. In most situations, this might be late-season measuring stick recreation. And the Seahawks crossing two time zones for a Thursday night time recreation must be advantageous for the Bears. However the Bears additionally haven’t put up a lot of a battle towards anybody in a protracted whereas. And the house finale will probably be one other dud.
Seahawks 26, Bears 17
