The Bears will be playing their most game of the season in a wild-card showdown with the Saints. Here’s what to watch for.
The Chicago Bears are back in the postseason, where they’ll play the No. 2 seed New Orleans Saints in the wild-card round. This game will be a rematch from Week 8, when the Saints beat the Bears 26-23 in overtime. But plenty has changed since November.
No one is giving Chicago a chance to pull the upset of New Orleans. But crazier things have happened in the postseason, especially when it comes to the Saints.
Here are five storylines to watch as the Bears head into their wild-card game against the Saints.
In many ways, this year has felt like 3 different seasons with the Bears. As we kick off 2021, let’s take a look back at the top headlines.
In many ways, this year has felt like three different seasons with the Chicago Bears. It’s certainly been a rollercoaster of a ride — from an unlikely offseason to a 5-1 start to a six-game losing streak to a late playoff push in Week 17.
As we kick off 2021, let’s take a look back at the top Bears headlines from 2020.
There will be plenty of questions facing the Bears this offseason, but there’s still one game left to play this season vs. the Vikings.
The Chicago Bears will close out what’s been a miserable 2019 season Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. While there’s nothing to play for in regards to the postseason, there are still some things to watch as the Bears play their season finale.
There will be plenty of questions facing the Bears this offseason, but there’s still one game left to play this season.
Here are three storylines to watch as the Bears face the Vikings on Sunday.
1. The end of a disappointing season
AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
This season hasn’t gone the way anyone envisioned it — unless you count Sports Illustrated that predicted a 7-9 season for the reigning NFC North champs. That all comes to an end following Sunday’s season finale against the Vikings, where the Bears will miss the playoffs one year after hosting a Wild Card playoff game.
While a victory won’t erase the failures of this season, it’d be nice for this team to go out on a high note as they enter one of the most important offseasons in recent history.
While the Bears aren’t fighting for playoff contention, there’s still plenty left to watch in their primetime game against the Chiefs.
When the Chicago Bears (7-7) square off against the Kansas City Chiefs (10-4) on Sunday Night Football, there won’t be playoff hopes on the line for Chicago. But there will be plenty to play for.
Whether it’s Mitchell Trubisky looking to continue his streak of positive performances (and against the MVP quarterback taken after him in the NFL Draft) or Matt Nagy facing off against Andy Reid or young guys playing for starting jobs next season, there are no shortage of storylines heading into this primetime affair.
Here are four storylines to watch as the Bears face the Chiefs on Sunday.
1. Mitchell Trubisky vs. Patrick Mahomes
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
This isn’t necessarily a new storyline in the NFL world — the Mitchell Trubisky/Patrick Mahomes or Trubisky/Deshaun Watson comparisons. The comparisons are inevitable, and they’ll follow Trubisky through his entire NFL career.
But those comparisons will be even louder and more prominent as Trubisky and Mahomes face off for the first time on an NFL football field. And the NFL gods couldn’t have scripted it any better than on a primetime stage where all the NFL world will watch and discuss.
While the outcome of this game will have no bearing on the bigger picture — Mahomes is a special talent with a bright future in this league and Trubisky is a mixed bag whose future has yet to be determined — you’d have to imagine if Trubisky can come out and outperform Mahomes — if only once — it’ll be a source of confidence heading into 2020.
There are no shortage of storylines as the Bears prepare for a rematch against their rival Packers Sunday at Lambeau Field.
The Chicago Bears (7-6) are preparing for their most important game of the season against their rivals Green Bay Packers (10-3), and there’s a lot on the line.
With the Bears fighting for their slim playoff hopes, they need to beat the Packers to stay alive in the playoff hunt. But then there’s the revenge factor after the Packers escaped with a 10-3 win in the season opener. With Mitchell Trubisky playing his best football of the season and with the return of Akiem Hicks, the Bears are in a good position heading into Lambeau Field.
Here are four storylines to watch as the Bears face the Packers on Sunday.
1. Will the Bears get revenge for Week 1 loss?
Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports
While last year’s season-opening loss served to motivate and catapult the Bears to a 12-4 record, this year it was a loss that has seemed to define their season. A dominant defense and a struggling offense that couldn’t do enough to win the game.
But the Bears aren’t the same team they were even a month ago amidst all those struggles. Riding a three-game win streak, Chicago’s offense has finally found a rhythm — although it took three months — and their defense looks to be getting back some key players, all while allowing the fourth fewest points this season.
While there are certainly big implications on the line — including slim playoff hopes — it’s also about getting revenge for a Week 1 game that you could argue they should’ve won — if only their offense had done enough. This time, there’s more confidence they will.
