by Anthony Licata
The Chicago Bears have gotten off to a hot start in the new season. They’re 4-2 and hope to continue their hot streak this week against the Baltimore Ravens. This will be a test for the Bears to prove to the league that they have a top 5 defense.
On the other hand, their offense has been off and on throughout the season so far. Caleb Williams looks promising in his second season as an NFL QB, completing 113 out of his 185 pass attempts for 1,351, throwing for 9 TDs and 3 Interceptions, as well as 32 carries for 106 yards and 2 TDs through six games.
For the Ravens, Lamar Jackson has completed 68 out of his 95 pass attempts for 869 yards while throwing for 10 TDs and 1 interception. He also has 21 carries for 166 yards and 1 TD through 4 games. He hasn’t played since September 28th due to his hamstring injury, and as of October 22nd, it’s still unclear if he’ll return to action to face the Bears.
The last time the Bears and the Ravens played was on November 21st, 2021, when the Ravens pulled out a 16-13 victory at Soldier Field. Lamar Jackson was out with an injury, and Tyler Huntley led them to the win. I feel like if Jackson is out again this time around and Cooper Rush is under center for the Ravens, this is the Bears’ game to win. If Jackson plays, he makes the 1-5 Ravens much more dangerous.
Looking ahead to the Bears’ next games, they’ll play the Bengals, Giants, and Vikings, which all seem to be winnable games. Later this season, they’ll face a familiar rival at Solider Field in Aaron Rodgers when the Steelers come to town. After that is a date with the Eagles on Black Friday, and then they’ll finish the season against the Packers, Browns, Packers again, 49ers, and the Lions.
Some of these are more winnable games than others, but a lot of teams are still very much in the playoff hunt. Barring major injuries, I think the Bears could end up in position for a playoff berth. I think a lot of it will depend on whether they’re able to defeat the 49ers; the winner of this game will most likely get the 7th seed in the NFC this season.
