The Chicago Bears had their five-game winning streak snapped in Week 14, losing to the Green Bay Packers 29-21. The loss was costly, as it allowed the Packers to leapfrog Chicago for first place in the NFC North. The Bears will try to get back on track quickly, and they have the perfect Week 15 opponent to do so: the Cleveland Browns, set to host.
The Browns are a 3-10 football team, and things recently got even worse for them. On Monday, Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski announced that the team’s starting center, Ethan Pocic, tore his Achilles. Additionally, veteran guard Wyatt Teller will also be sidelined for Sunday’s game, and right tackle Jack Conklin is in concussion protocol. That means Chicago could be facing a rookie quarterback playing behind a group of reserve linemen.
Bears could take advantage of Browns unhealthy offensive line in Week 15
The trenches are the most essential part of the game; the team that wins the line of scrimmage typically wins the game. Chicago will have an advantage in that department when it comes to the Bears' defense against Cleveland’s offense. If the defensive line can get rolling and keep rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders under pressure, Chicago could keep the Cleveland offense from being a factor.
While these unfortunate injuries could work in the Bears’ favor, it’s important to note that the Browns still may not be an easy win. Yes, they are a 3-10 team that just lost to the Tennessee Titans; however, Cleveland has some factors working in its favor that could make the Week 15 game challenging.
One of those things is an elite defense, led by Myles Garrett. Speaking of the importance of the trenches, Garrett and the Browns' defensive line can absolutely take over games. If Chicago doesn’t have an adequate plan to protect Caleb Williams, it could be a long day.
Something else that could make the game harder than expected is the juice rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders has brought to the Cleveland offense. The rookie accounted for nearly 400 yards and four touchdowns in Week 14, while playing most of the game with a group of reserve offensive linemen.
Read more: How Bears can still win the NFC North after losing to Packers in Week 14
If Sanders and the Browns offense can carry some momentum into next week, the Bears could have their hands full.