Week 15 isn’t about flash for the Chicago Bears — it’s about stability.
After a frustrating seven-point loss at Lambeau Field, a game that knocked Chicago from the NFC’s No. 1 seed all the way down to No. 7, the mission this Sunday against Cleveland is far more straightforward than anything schematic or star-driven. The Bears don’t need a masterpiece. They need to take care of business.
Cleveland comes in at 3–10, and while their rookie class has shown pockets of promise, the Browns’ identity at this point is defined by inconsistency, inefficiency, and the inability to finish ballgames. Their record is no fluke — it’s who they’ve been, and for the Bears, they don’t have to reinvent themselves to handle the matchup; they have to avoid giving a struggling team unnecessary oxygen.
That starts with the foundational details.
Bears need to do the small things right to beat the Browns
Chicago can’t afford another week of empty red-zone trips or missed chances that stall momentum. Getting into scoring range has not been the issue -- cashing those opportunities in has, as Chicago sits 19th in the NFL in Red Zone TD percentage. The Bears need touchdowns, not field goals, especially early, to prevent the Browns from hanging around longer than they should.
And yes, Myles Garrett remains a real factor. With the way he’s played in 2025, he’s barreling toward the single-season sack record, and he’s going to create problems, but the Bears don’t have to neutralize him entirely -- they need to avoid letting him dictate the entire rhythm of the afternoon.
Run the ball with intent. Move the pocket. Stay ahead of the sticks. Keep Garrett from wrecking drives before they start.
Defensively, Chicago’s blueprint is equally straightforward: pressure rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders and force the Browns to operate off-schedule. Sanders has flashed, but he’s still learning the speed of the game and acuteness of NFL windows, and the Bears’ defensive front has an opportunity to turn that inexperience into takeaways. Make him read post-snap rotations. Speed him up. Crowd the line of scrimmage and force Cleveland into unfavorable down-and-distance situations.
For Chicago and head coach Ben Johnson, they don’t have to chase style points this week. They don’t need Caleb Williams to throw for 350 yards. They don’t need the defense to pitch a shutout. They simply need clean execution—secure the ball, finish drives, control tempo, and avoid self-inflicted damage. If they stick to the fundamentals of football, the little things, the scoreboard should reflect it by the time the fourth quarter arrives.
Read more: Ben Johnson was caught by surprise by lack of production from $110 million star
Sunday isn’t about being spectacular. It’s about being sound -- and that’s more than enough to get the job done. Because with Green Bay, San Francisco, and Detroit looming to close the year, Chicago can’t afford any missteps.