Chicago Bears should treat Sunday like playoff game
Matt Nagy was adamant that the Chicago Bears are going to approach their Week 17 matchup with the Vikings like they needed to win the game. That is the right approach
With the Chicago Bears locked into their division and needing the San Fransisco 49ers to upset the Los Angelas Rams for any chance of a bye next week, many were wondering how the Chicago Bears would play it.
This could be a week that Matt Nagy uses to rest some of his key players, knowing that the 10-point favorite Rams are very unlikely to lose. This game likely means nothing and on the flip side, they may end up playing the Minnesota Vikings next week. Should Nagy risk his players health and showing his hand against his opponent a week before playing them with everything at stake?
He should. The first reason is that despite the spread, San Fransisco is a good team. Most Chicago Bears fans can walk away from Sundays game with more respect for that team than they came into that game having.
On the flip side, the Rams are struggling. The Rams have a reputation worth being a 10-point favorite, but just lost as 14-point favorite two weeks ago. They bounced back against the Cardinals, but a win against Arizona does not mean things are all dandy in LA.
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Aside from the Chicago Bears even worrying about the bye week, they should be all in to beat the Vikings out of a sheer want to.
Yes, the Bears will show a gameplan when the two meet that may need tinkering in the next week if Minnesota wins. You know who else just threw their best gameplan at an opponent and now has to tinker it the following week? The Minnesota Vikings. They are at the same disadvantage if the two teams go all out.
On top of that is the thought that everyone keeps assuming the Bears will lose. What if the Chicago Bears put together a good plan and win? They are the better team after all.
In this scenario the Chicago Bears knocked a division rival out of the playoffs before their actual playoffs start. So the Bears played a playoff game a week early and won, what is the big deal?
Injuries is obvious concern. Injuries happen every single week and can happen on any play. If someone gets seriously injured in this game, it is tough to blame Matt Nagy and say that had he benched him, the injury would not have occurred to another person or at another time.
The fact of the matter is that the Chicago Bears should have every intention of beating the Minnesota Vikings, and with a sound game plan can. Doing so can have them single handedly knock out the Packers and Vikings, and move onto the Eagles, which would put all of the fear of showing your hand to the Vikings away.
Look for these Bears to push the Vikings to the limit.