Bears vs. Seahawks predictions: Can Chicago snap their 3-game losing streak?
The Chicago Bears (4-10) will face the Seattle Seahawks (5-9) on Sunday, where Chicago will look to snap their three-game losing streak in what’s a winnable game.
But it’s not under ideal conditions as the Bears turn to third-string quarterback Nick Foles, as Justin Fields and Andy Dalton deal with injuries. Will there be a Christmas miracle in Seattle on Sunday? We’re about to find out.
Can Chicago get back in the win column in Week 16? Our Bears Wire staff shares their predictions for Sunday’s game.
Alyssa Barbieri (13-1): Seahawks 23, Bears 20
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
The last thing Bears wanted to see for Christmas is Nick Foles starting at quarterback. But alas, with Justin Fields and Andy Dalton sidelined with injuries, here we are. Although, in a way, this disaster of a 2021 season wouldn’t have been complete with Foles getting in there.
The Seahawks are also a struggling team, and there will be opportunities for this Chicago defense to get after Russell Wilson. And if Fields or Dalton had been starting, I’d give the Bears a better chance of winning this game.
While this is certainly a winnable game for Chicago, I have a difficult time believing Foles is going to get the Bears back on the winning track. And this game went from bad to worse with Foles getting the start.
Brendan Sugrue (13-1): Seahawks 20, Bears 17
Jon Durr-USA TODAY Sports
Chalk this game up as yet another intriguing matchup on paper in May that turned into a bore in December. This was supposed to be a measuring stick between the present in Russell Wilson and the future in Justin Fields. I was hopeful this would be like the Seahawks-Texans game back in 2017 when Wilson and Deshaun Watson threw four touchdowns each in a crazy shootout. Instead, the Bears are starting Nick Foles and an already dull matchup gets worse.
Foles gets the starting nod due to injuries to Fields and Andy Dalton. He hasn’t thrown a pass this season, though you can argue he’s the best third-string quarterback in the NFL. It doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. Both teams are sleepwalking towards the end of the season with anemic offenses. In fact, the Seahawks are just one of three teams that average fewer yards per game than the Bears.
With Fields or even Dalton starting, I’d probably give the Bears a good chance to win this game. Their defense can certainly keep them in the game with Wilson having his worst season as a pro. But I’m not expecting Foles to do much with his opportunity, leading to a close Seattle win.
Ryan Fedrau (9-5): Seahawks 27, Bears 13
Jon Durr-USA TODAY Sports
Justin Fields is currently nursing an ankle injury, so, Nick Foles, who went 2-5 as the Bears quarterback last year, gets the start.
The Seahawks haven’t had a great season, but they’ve been better than the Bears. I expect this to go poorly on the road, with Chicago losing their 11th game of the season.
Unless Foles has a magical game, I don’t see the Bears winning with their third-string quarterback.
Nate Atkins (8-2): Seahawks 27, Bears 17
AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski
Nick Foles. A Bears Christmas miracle? Don’t bet on it.
The Seahawks are bad, but the Bears are worse. At 5-9, Seattle’s nine losses are to teams with a winning percentage of .618 (78-48-1). So I wouldn’t expect the Bears to play spoiler and beat the Seahawks with Nick Foles and Ryan Willis.
There are four teams in the NFL with worse records than the Bears. The Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, and the New York Jets. Seattle has played the Texans and the Jaguars, outscoring them 64-20.
There’s a silver lining with the Seahawks coming off a Tuesday road loss to the Rams, so it’s a short week. But, again, don’t ruin your Christmas weekend expecting the Bears to pick up their fifth win of the season.
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