At the end of Week 13, the Chicago Bears still found themselves with the second-overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. They were one of three teams with only three wins. The only team worse than them was the Houston Texans. The Texans only have one win and a tie. It looks as though they are a lock for that top spot. The Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Rams were the two other teams with only three wins. That was until yesterday anyway. The Chicago Bears now owe the Rams and their new quarterback, Baker Mayfield a big thank you.
The Rams faced off against the Raiders on Thursday night football. It was a somewhat boring game until the end. The Rams held the Raiders on third-and-one, causing fourth down. A huge punt put the Rams at the two-yard line with less than two minutes on the clock and no timeouts. The first pass Mayfield threw was off target by only a slight amount. On second and 10 in his own end zone, he threw the same pass to the same receiver, but this time he put a little more on it and the pass was completed.
The Rams were bailed out by a pass interference penalty on the next play. Mayfield threw a beautiful ball down the sideline to Ben Skowronek. This play alone set the Rams up for a potential touchdown. Down six points, Mayfield hit Van Jefferson for a 23-yard touchdown. After an extra-point attempt by Matt Gay, the Rams took a one-point lead with very little time left on the clock. An interception with two seconds left sealed the fate of the Rams and helped the Chicago Bears.
With the win over the Raiders, the Rams now have four wins on the season and things look a little brighter for the Chicago Bears and their draft position. Now, fans need to be rooting for a Broncos win (currently holding the third draft slot) and a Ravens loss. If the Broncos win, it makes the second-overall pick for the Bears look even more likely. As for the Ravens currently hold the 26th-overall pick, but after the Roquan Smith trade, the Bears are holding out hope that the Ravens continue to lose and move up the board
Comparing Chicago Bears linebacker Jack Sanborn to Brian Urlacher
Jack Sanborn is not Brian Urlacher or Roquan Smith. He isn't making the Hall of Fame. However, he has been playing well for the Chicago Bears.
Tanking should never be applauded, but it’s the only positive thing to hope for now. If the Chicago Bears hold one of the top two picks, it is likely they can get a nice haul by trading down to allow another team the opportunity to select one of the top two quarterbacks. The good news is that the Broncos and Rams play each other in Week 16, meaning one of those two teams is guaranteed another win. Things are looking up for the Bears as long as they keep losing.