The Seattle Seahawks are set to clash with the Chicago Bears tonight for a "Monday Night Football" prime time showdown. Seattle doesn't host Chicago all that often, and the last time these two teams squared off was near the end of the 2024 season, where neither squad qualified for postseason play.
A lot has obviously changed since then. The Seahawks are the reigning Super Bowl LX champions and aiming to repeat, while the Bears are making the case they belong in the conversation for clear contenders for the crown. As always, we at Seahawks Wire invite you on a journey Behind Enemy Lines to learn more about Seattle's upcoming opponent. We spoke with our friend Brendan Sugrue at Bears Wire to get a better idea of what kind of team Chicago is. Our
questions and Sugrue's answers are below:
No. 1 - How has Caleb Williams progressed in his second year with Ben Johnson?
Williams has clearly taken the next step in his development under Johnson. Last year, the goal was to reduce the number of sacks and show more poise as the leader of the offense, which he accomplished. This year, the Bears wanted to see him take the layups and improve his completion percentage, and he’s passing those tests as well.
In a weird way, the hamstring injury that Williams suffered may prove to be a blessing in disguise. In the two games he’s played since coming back, Williams has been lethal from the pocket. His accuracy has been on point, and he’s taking what the defense is giving him. We knew he had the superstar throws in him, and now he’s hitting the “easy” throws with consistency. It’s all coming together for Williams, and I don’t say this lightly as someone who has been let down by dozens of Bears quarterbacks, but he’s becoming a top-five quarterback before our eyes.
No. 2 - Aside from QB play, what would you say is a strength that stands out on this offense?
The best thing this offense does is take your soul slowly but surely. The Bears’ calling card is putting together long, sustained drives that chew up tons of clock. Chicago leads the league in time of possession and plays per game. They wear out the defense and prioritize finishing games with the ball in their possession.
When they’re at their best, it’s the running game that shines the most. Prior to Sunday, Chicago led the league with 154.3 rushing yards per game. And that’s without their 1B running back Kyle Monangai, who will miss his fourth consecutive game with a toe injury. When he and D’Andre Swift are fully healthy, the run game is extremely difficult to stop. His absence will benefit the Seahawks defense, but the offense can and will be difficult to get off the field quickly.
No. 3 - Chicago signed Coby Bryant to shore up the defense, but how has this secondary performed without him?
I was so excited when the Bears signed Coby Bryant. I saw him excel moving to safety with the Seahawks the last few years and believed he would thrive with Dennis Allen and his usage of defensive backs. His injury has been a real bummer, and I’m eagerly awaiting his return to see how the secondary performs with him as a focal point.
Without him, the Bears’ secondary has been average at best. Rookies Dillon Thieneman and Malik Muhammad (who is questionable as of this writing with a toe injury) have shined the most. And they’ve had a boost with the return of Kyler Gordon, who has been a menace when blitzing from the nickel position. But cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson have been abysmal in coverage. Without a veteran safety like Bryant to back them up, the Bears are vulnerable to explosive plays.
No. 4 - Is there a particular unit you feel the Bears have an edge over the Seahawks with? Conversely, is there a Seattle unit that gives you concern?
It doesn’t get talked about enough how good the Bears run defense has been this year. They are top-five in rushing yards allowed per game (87.6) and haven’t allowed 100 yards on the ground in four straight games. Part of that is the scheme designed by Allen, who has been utilizing players like Gordon, Thieneman, and Muhammad near the line of scrimmage, but it’s also in part due to the time of possession point from earlier. When the Bears control the clock and go up on teams, they can’t rely on the run anymore. With the Seahawks getting Jadarian Price and Zac Charbonnet back, it will be interesting to see if they can get them going early enough to make an impact.
The biggest concern has to be Jaxon Smith-Njigba. And no disrespect to players like Cooper Kupp or Rashid Shaheed, but Smith-Njigba has shown the ability to take games over, and this secondary can’t keep up with him. The Bears will need to contain him enough to ensure he doesn’t take over the game.
No. 5 - Who wins and why?
I had this game chalked up as a Bears loss until they landed Jeffery Simmons. And I know the Seahawks also made a significant trade with Quenton Nelson, but Simmons transforms this defense and also elevates the play of everyone else. Even when he’s not on the field, I think the Bears’ players collectively will be playing with a little more juice.
Ben Johnson has the blueprint for beating a Mike Macdonald defense, and I believe we see it again on Monday night. Bears get the narrow victory 24-21 in what should be a preview of a playoff matchup.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Behind Enemy Lines: 5 things to know about the Chicago Bears before MNF
