Considering the ties to their opposition, a win this Thursday night would be twice as nice for the Chicago Bears. But that opposition may not see it the same way.
Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich spoke with reporters on Monday, less than 24 hours after a disappointing 27-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. He was asked if there is any added incentive for a Week 10 victory over the Bears, who are in possession of his team’s first-round draft pick in 2024.
“Interesting question,” he replied. “I guess this is good, but I hadn’t even thought about that. This is just about tryin’ to win the next football game.”
The Panthers’ lack of wins in previous football games has them at a 1-7 record. That mark is currently the second-worst in the entire league, behind only the 1-8 Arizona Cardinals.
Chicago, of course, helped facilitate Carolina’s bold move up to the first overall selection this past spring—selling off their control for 2023’s ninth and 61st picks, that 2024 first, a 2025 second and wide receiver DJ Moore. So, yeah, the Bears want the Panthers to keep on losing—and they’ll have a chance to add another one to the ledger themselves.
Regardless, Reich and the Panthers are looking to take the rest of the schedule one game at a time.
“One of the things I said to the guys today—sometimes when you get in this position, you look back and you wanna change some things that have happened. You wish, somehow, that you can double down. ‘Hey, let’s put it all in this one game. Let’s double down on everything. Get it all back!’ But that’s not real life.
“That’s not real life in the NFL. That’s not real life, period. You gotta take ’em one at a time.”
[lawrence-related id=684618,684612,684604]