Hidden reasons the Chicago Bears will want the Packers to lose in Week 16

The Chicago Bears defense needs to be truly tested for a playoff run

Every NFL defense has had their struggles at one time or another this season. The most likely culprit of this is playing during this pandemic year. The threat of getting sick and or injured is just too real for these players to totally ignore this possibility. This is probably happening more on a subconscious than conscious level but it does appear to be having an effect on the players.

However, playoff football has a way of re-energizing tired NFL players from the rigors of a brutal 16-game schedule. Both mental and physical exhaustion can be more easily put aside once emerged in the heady atmosphere of playoff football.

With this in mind, it is reasonable to assume that the Chicago Bears defense can get back to playing to their high standard of stopping teams from scoring points. It used to be that the Bears defense would bend and give up some field goals but not break. During their defensive downturn, the Bears have given up 13 touchdowns in three of their last four games.

We can throw out the Texans’ game. In that game, the Chicago Bears gave up one touchdown to the talented DeShaun Watson. Their bad touchdown games were this. They gave up five touchdowns to both the Packers and Lions and then three touchdowns to the Vikings. That is 13 touchdowns in a three-game span.

However, if the Bears defense can cut down to their normal standard of one to two touchdowns and maybe 3 along with a few field goals, then this version of the Bears offense has a very good chance of enabling them to win any playoff game. In terms of the big picture, the NFC is, basically, up for grabs. However, the possibility of beating an AFC team in the Super Bowl is, entirely, another matter.