Chicago Bears fans can enjoy a relaxing weekend filled with stress-free football for the first time in a long time. The Bears kicked off Week 7 with a thrilling 30-24 victory over the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football to improve to 5-2 on the season.
Quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Drake Maye took turns delivering key strike after key strike to keep this game close. Ultimately, Williams made fewer mistakes and, with a critical 58-yard field goal near the end of the game, helped propel the Bears to a win and some well-earned time off. The Bears are enjoying a mini bye week before returning to action in Week 8 on Monday Night Football.
With no Bears football this weekend, fans can spend their Sunday focusing on other games around the league.
There are plenty of intriguing matchups that should be of interest, whether it's scouting upcoming opponents, keeping a close on the NFC North, or just having fun watching bitter rivals square off. Here are five games to watch while the Bears are off.
1. Colts at Vikings
- Noon CT, CBS/Paramount+
This game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Minnesota Vikings features two squads going in opposite directions, but each team is still notable for Bears fans. The Colts (2-4) are playing their first game since firing general manager Chris Ballard and could be on the verge of a fire sale before the NFL trade deadline. Multiple big names such as running back Jonathan Taylor, guard Quentin Nelson, and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner could be available with another loss.
The Vikings (5-0), meanwhile, are coming off a bye week and are hoping to keep their undefeated season alive. Minnesota has been carried by their stellar defensive play, while the offense does just enough to keep them ahead. A loss would still keep the Vikings atop the NFC North, but it would narrow the gap for the rest of the division.
2. Chiefs at Seahawks
- 7:20 p.m. CT, NBC/Peacock
The Bears were battle-tested against last year's Super Bowl loser. Next week, they have to face last year's Super Bowl winner. The Seattle Seahawks, like the Bears, are in the midst of a three-game prime-time schedule as they welcome the Kansas City Chiefs to town for Sunday Night Football. Seattle (3-3) has been scuffling as of late, losing their last two games, including a lackluster 17-14 loss to the Denver Broncos in overtime on Thursday Night Football. Seattle needs a win this weekend to keep pace in the NFC wild card race, and Bears fans will want to see what team shows up to play. And if Seattle wants to get this win, they will need to stop their Super Bowl MVP from running all over them.
Running back Kenneth Walker III is making his return to Seattle, where he spent four seasons and helped deliver a Lombardi trophy to the Pacific Northwest. Walker signed with the Chiefs in the offseason and has been the catalyst for their resurgence. He leads the league with 665 rushing yards and has totaled eight touchdowns. Kansas City (5-0) is undefeated and looking to extend their winning streak in prime time. Walker will be a major focus on offense, and Bears fans will want to see how effective he is against one of the league's better run defenses.
3. Packers at Lions
- 3:25 p.m. CT, FOX
Divisional matchups are almost always must-watch for Bears fans, but this week's game between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions may go a long way in determining who can keep pace in the crowded NFC North. The Packers (4-2) are playing their best football of the year following a lackluster start to the season after defeating the Dallas Cowboys 23-13. Quarterback Jordan Love is throwing the ball all over the field, while the defense has tightened up to create takeaways in recent weeks. And all of this is taking place still without edge rusher Micah Parsons.
The Lions (3-2) meanwhile, are hanging around but have plenty of question marks coming off their bye week. They haven't defeated a team over .500 yet this season and their defense is allowing the most yards (404), passing yards (297) and second-most points (29.6) per game. Their offense has carried them up to this point but can they do it against better competition? The loser will find themselves in last place of the NFC North and while there is plenty of season to go, it will put them behind for the time being.
4. Buccaneers at Panthers
- Noon CT, FOX
Bears fans not only have the chance to scout the team's next opponent on Sunday, but they can look even further ahead to their matchup in Week 9 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This week, the Buccaneers (1-5) will look more like the team we're used to seeing as quarterback Baker Mayfield is set to return to the lineup for the first time in weeks. We'll see if he can stop the bleeding and get Tampa its second win of the season to try and keep pace in the NFC South.
They're taking on the Carolina Panthers (3-2), who have things clicking with quarterback Bryce Young. The Panthers have the league's second-best offense in terms of total yards per game (404.4) and are leading the league with 295.6 passing yards per game. Carolina is currently atop the NFC South and can extend their lead with a win, which could put the final nail in Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles' coffin.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 4 NFL games to watch Sunday during mini Bears bye
