The Chicago Bears and Matt Nagy must win two of the next three games
The Chicago Bears started the season off 5-1, but three losses in a row have them nearly even on the year. The team plays one game (Monday night versus the Vikings) over the next 18 days. This game is then followed up by a game versus the Packers and Lions. That makes three divisional games in a row and the Bears have yet to face off against the Vikings and Packers this season.
If the Chicago Bears can come way with any combination that equates to a 2-1 record over the next three weeks, the team will still be deep in the playoff hunt. A win over the Packers would be the best way to achieve this, but at 7-5, the team is still in the thick of things even if the victories continue to come versus only the Vikings and Lions.
However, if the team only wins one game (or even worse zero), then this team might as well pack it in and start hoping it rises closer to the top of the draft order to get the likes of Justin Fields or rising quarterback phenom Zach Wilson. Finishing 9-7, 8-8 or 7-9 on the season will keep this team in quarterback purgatory. This is not something this team can handle going forward and I am taking the best quarterback or left tackle in the first round if I am Ryan Pace.
After the three divisional games, the Bears will face the Texans, Vikings, Jaguars and Packers again. That’s five divisional games over the next seven contests. Let’s assume the Bears split with the Vikings, beat the Lions (not as easy as it sounds) and lose both to the Packers (they have the Bears number every year it seems), that means the team only went 2-3 in the division and gives them seven wins and seven losses. That would mean the best the team could do is 9-7.
If we are being honest with one another, if the Bears cannot go 2-1 over the next three games, they are setting themselves up for a tough stretch later in the year. The Bears would have to beat both the Vikings and Packers in their second meetings of the year. Maybe the Packers rest their players in the last game of the season and that allows the Bears an easy win? I would not count on it. If we give them wins over the Texans and Jaguars, they realistically could get to 10 wins. Not seeing anything above 10 though.