The Chicago Bears (5-2) are gearing up for a Week 8 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks (4-3) on Monday Night Football, where Chicago is looking to improve to 6-2 as they kick off the second of three straight prime-time games.
The Bears are coming off a statement 30-24 win over the New England Patriots. It was ugly at times, where penalties were once again an issue, as well as some drops, the pass defense struggled, the defensive line struggled to take advantage of a banged-up Patriots offensive line, tight end Cole Kmet suffered a knee injury that was a brutal blow for the offense and Cairo Santos' single doink nearly cost them the game -- until he kicked them to victory. Now, with the addition of All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, there's
more excitement for this Chicago defense.
Can Chicago upset Seattle on the road in prime time? Our Bears Wire staff shares their game predictions for Bears-Seahawks in Week 8:
Alyssa Barbieri (4-3): Bears 23, Seahawks 17
Bold prediction: Bears force 3 turnovers
Originally, I had the Seahawks beating the Bears in a close game between two talented teams in a potential preview of the NFC Championship. But the trade for Jeffery Simmons flipped things. All three of Seattle's losses have come when the Seahawks committed at least three turnovers. In their four wins, they have a combined three turnovers. The presence of Simmons along the interior defensive line will completely change how Dennis Allen calls this defense, and Simmons could certainly feast and bring the kind of interior pressure that forces Sam Darnold into the turnovers that have cost his team in the past. As my bold prediction indicates, I expect Chicago to force three turnovers and to take advantage.
The two biggest challenges in this game are Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Seattle defense, and it's highly unlikely that the Bears are able to completely contain either. But getting pressure on Darnold, especially with Simmons and freeing up other linemen, could be key to help neutralize those two advantages for the Seahawks. The Seattle defense has put on a clinic against some of the game's top quarterbacks, and they've yet to allow a more than 180 passing yards in a game. If Caleb Williams, who's emerged as one of the NFL's best since his return from injury, can accomplish something that no quarterback has this season, it would no doubt lead to a win but also put him square in the MVP conversation.
The keys for a victory is simple: Win the time of possession and dominate the trenches. Chicago's offensive line has done a good job of paving the way for the league's best run game while also protecting Williams, and they'll need to be at their best to overpower a Seattle defensive line loaded with talent. There's no doubt this will be a close game between two of the NFC's best, and it could very well come down to which team makes the fewest mistakes. As indicated in my bold prediction, I believe the Bears will be that team and manage to sneak out with a close win on the road in another statement win.
Brendan Sugrue (4-3): Bears 24, Seahawks 21
Bold prediction: Austin Booker has multiple sacks
Monday night presents arguably the toughest test the Chicago Bears have faced all season up to this point, and for the last week, I’ve been steadfast in believing the Seattle Seahawks would come out victorious in front of their raucous crowd at Lumen Field. Seattle can be a dominant team, and they possess the best offensive player in the league and a defense that suffocates opposing offenses. It’s a game I never believed the Bears would be able to win. Then they landed Jeffery Simmons, and all of that pessimism went out the window.
Simmons himself is an excellent player, but the mood shift in a team when they land a premier talent like that is instantly elevated. Players are reinvigorated while also playing with more of a chip on their shoulder. The Bears will be well rested and will be playing with a type of fire we have yet to see from this group.
The offense has enough firepower to combat the Seahawks defense. It may not be as pretty as other weeks, but Caleb Williams should be able to score enough points and keep the offense on the field for extended periods of time. The Bears still lead the NFL in time of possession and plays per game.
Defensively, they simply need to stop Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The Seahawks line is beat up, Sam Darnold has shown a willingness to turn the ball over, and their run game will be thwarted by the Bears’ new-look defensive line. If the secondary can contain Smith-Njigba, the league’s top receiver, the Bears win this game handily. JSN will still get his yards, but the Bears' defensive line will feast on the Seahawks up front and force Darnold into making one too many mistakes.
This can be a game that turns the Bears from a very good team to a great team. It’s a chance to show they’re in the discussion to be the class of the NFC. I find it hard to believe they let that opportunity slip away after acquiring an All-Pro defensive tackle in the middle of the season.
Vinnie Parise (5-2): Bears 24, Seahawks 20
Bold prediction: Sam Roush scores first career touchdown
The Chicago Bears are now facing their biggest test of the season. They are in Seattle to take on the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. Although Seattle hasn’t been quite as good as last year, they are still among the elite and a mental hurdle that must be cleared in order to win.
The Bears made a big splash this week, trading multiple first round picks for interior defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons. For a few years, Simmons has been a top 3 player at his position, and he may be the single best at this time. Adding him to this group that so desperately needed a player like that may help get them over the edge.
Although the trade is the big story going in, the Bears offense is going to be the x-factor as they face Seattle’s incredible defense. With Cole Kmet out, Ben Johnson will rely heavily on Colston Loveland, but expect Sam Roush to be thrown in the fire as well. There is no better time for Ben to work in Roush’s first career touchdown reception.
If that were to happen, expect Roush to then get a game ball during a huge locker room celebration of victory on the road.
Ariana Pensy (5-2): Bears 30, Seahawks 27
Bold prediction: Jeffery Simmons will have multiple sacks
The Chicago Bears are underdogs in this game, even after the trade for Jeffery Simmons. If Chicago is going to win, they most likely will need to generate multiple turnovers given Seattle has lost all three games where their offense had multiple turnovers. Especially with Simmons on the defensive line, the Bears have the defense to make this happen.
Having Simmons on the line should help Montez Sweat, who struggled during the first five games of the season before being suspended the past two games. Sweat and Simmons played together in college, so they have chemistry together. More importantly, Simmons will get the double teams instead of Sweat. Working one-on-one should allow Sweat to get pressure on Sam Darnold and at least get a sack for the first time since Week 3 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
This will be an uphill battle for Chicago’s offense. But the Seahawks have given up over 30 points on two occasions - in their loss to the Washington Commanders and their loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The Bears also have the talent to be the third team to put up at least 30 on this defense with Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III. Colston Loveland popping up on the injury report is concerning with his target share in the past two games and Cole Kmet already being out for the season. But they have enough talent to compensate if Loveland is not 100 percent for this game. Hopefully he is able to play on Monday, since it would be a little harder for Chicago’s offense without him.
Randy Holt (3-4): Bears 23, Seahawks 17
Bold prediction: Caleb Williams exceeds 200 yards passing.
Throughout the week, I’ve been steadfast in believing I’d pick Seattle to win this game. So at the 11th hour, I’m picking the Bears. It’s not a particularly safe bet but speaks to the confidence that this team is exuding.
The Seahawks are one of the league’s two best teams against the pass. They’ve allowed roughly 144 pass yards per game and -0.22 EPA per pass. They also haven’t allowed a 200-yard passer this season and are playing at home. But what Caleb Willams has done through the air the last couple weeks offers confidence that they can possess for sustained periods and achieve more in that phase than any team that’s come before them. While Seattle hasn’t been quite as stout against the run game (11th in rush yards allowed), the continued absence of Kyle Monangai means it’s going to remain on Williams’ shoulders. He’s proven he can handle it.
Defensively, there’s only one player that has been particularly impressive out of Seattle this season. It’s not Sam Darnold, who ranks 21st in the league in EPA per dropback (-0.07). The defensive line will have some extra juice following the Jeffery Simmons acquisition, which could force him into the mistakes he’s been prone to this year. If that pressure and the subsequent mistakes are realized, that makes Jaxon Smith-Njigba just slightly less of a factor. Even pinning down his production the slightest bit should yield positive results in the box score considering some of their shortcomings and injury issues elsewhere on that side of the ball.
Excuse the cliché, but this is a real measuring stick game. The Seahawks are coming off perhaps their most dominant performance of the season and are playing at home in primetime. So many different things say the Bears should lose this game. But the extra juice on defense and the suffocating nature of the offense’s ability to hold onto the ball for sustained periods should be enough to allow the Bears to announce their presence as a fixture among the league’s better teams.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Will Bears beat the Seahawks? Our game picks and bold predictions
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