Bears vs. Seahawks Prediction |
As if the past three weeks of blowouts weren't bad enough for Bears fans, they get to be treated to some Holiday Football as the Bears return to the field Thursday against the Seattle Seahawks. Talk about an enjoyable late Christmas Present?
Not only are the Bears coming off a third straight blowout loss, and ironically, all three of those losses have come with Thomas Brown at HC, but the Bears are now going to have to turn it around quickly as this will be an extremely short week for Chicago. Thursday night games are never fun, especially with this one being the final one for the season, but given that this is a holiday week, who knows how much practice time the Bears will actually have before Thursday? This was a lose-lose scenario for this team, as they are not only nursing several massive injuries that could use a few extra days to heal, but they are also in so much disarray right now that they have no direction for the type of team they want to become. It can't get much worse for this team at the moment, but then again it can always get worse so no one wants to think about that scenario. If the Bears want to salvage any sort of positive takeaway this season, they need to find a way to beat one or two playoff-worthy teams in the next few weeks. That all starts with the Seattle Seahawks, who will be facing a win-or-go-home scenario. This team was on top of the NFC West for weeks and has now dropped to second place after back-to-back losses to the Vikings and Packers. For them to have a shot at the playoffs, they need to not only win this week against the Bears but also would need to turn around and beat the Rams next week. Look for them to bring their best game plan to the plate on Thursday as they look to keep their playoff hopes alive. Here are some things to look for in the Bears week 17 matchup with the Seahawks.
It has been a long time since the Bears have had a victory on any day, as you have to go back more than two months since their last victory. With this being their final home contest of the season, not only would this be the way to go out, but it would also be a great late Christmas Present to the entire fan base. Most importantly, it would notch Thomas Brown's first career coaching victory, and that alone carries plenty of weight behind it. Despite this team struggling since he took over, the organization loves Brown as a coach, and it's clear that the players have backed him since day one and love to play for him. Unfortunately for them, the results haven't matched his intensity as a coach, but that shouldn't surprise you when you look at how this team has fared the past few years. All of the bad that has come from this season can be put to rest if the Bears can win their home finale and play spoiler to a playoff-contending team.
Getting blown out by good teams is one thing, but getting blown out the way the Bears have in recent weeks is a concern and something Brown and his staff must fix. Looking back at the last three weeks, not only has Chicago fallen behind by multiple scores, but they have been trailing by an average of 16 points in the first half, as slow starts are becoming all too familiar for this team. That is a problem against anyone in the NFL, let alone teams that have great offenses, as the Bears continue to beat themselves in the worst ways. This week gives the Bears some relief as the Seahawks offense is more than capable of scoring, but they are nowhere near as explosive as the other two teams. For the Bears to have a shot at an upset in this one, they not only have to put pressure on Geno Smith, who ranks near the top in the NFL in interceptions, but they must also strike first to avoid another slow start. If not, this could be another long night for the Bears and their fans.
When the Bears went out and signed D'Andre Swift in free agency, the goal was for one of the better-rushing attacks in the NFL to remain great. Instead, year one of the Swift experience has been a nightmare as he has not only had one of the worst years of his career, but some are wondering if he is even a fit for this Bears offense. Coming off his first 1,000-yard season with the Eagles in 2023, Swift was under a lot of pressure heading into the season, as the Bears were hoping he could be the next David Montgomery. He has shown the ability to be that guy in the passing game, but his inability to pick up yards on the ground has hampered this offense and put a lot of pressure on Williams to shoulder the load himself. That can't happen to a rookie QB if you expect them to have success, as they have enough on their plate already. With the season already over, nothing this team does from here on out will matter for 2024. Still, they must figure out how to get the ground going again as they will face off against another formidable defensive opponent.
Not only are both teams coming into this game with several key injuries, but this will be a short week, as it will be crucial to see how both teams adjust to that. Had weather been a factor to worry about, you would have other elements of this game to follow, but that isn't an issue this week. In a season where wins have been hard to come by, the Bears are not only looking for a statement win but a win to potentially jumpstart them in hopes of gaining confidence heading into 2025. While this may not be the statement win the team is looking for, it would be a win against a Playoff team, and that is a big win nonetheless. Expect the Bears to come out with a ton of energy on Thursday, as this will be their final home game of the season. Whether that is enough to motivate this team remains to be seen, but look for the Bears to end their losing streak by knocking off the Seahawks 23-21.Win one for the Gipper
Can the Bears avoid a slow start?
The ground game needs to pick it up
Prediction
Bears win 23-21
