The Seattle Seahawks may require a victory versus the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football to keep their postseason dreams alive. Unlike their previous two matchups, the Seahawks are considered heavy favorites against a lackluster Bears squad. We’ve compiled three bold predictions for Mike Macdonald’s defense.
Seahawks force 3 turnovers
The Seahawks did not force a single turnover in their Week 16 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings. Jarran Reed did record a strip-sack, but the Vikings recovered. Meanwhile the Bears committed two turnovers in their latest outing. Look for Macdonald’s opportunistic defense to tempt the Bears into multiple turnovers.
Leonard Williams dominates
The Bears’ offensive line is a disastrous unit. Left tackle Braxton Jones was one of their more effective blockers, but recently suffered a season-ending injury. The interior has especially struggled to protect rookie quarterback Caleb Williams this season. Leonard Williams is capable of dominating Chicago’s guards and centers alike. Look for the veteran Williams to gain constant entry into Chicago’s backfield.
Bears are held to 17 or fewer points
The Bears are averaging a 26th-ranked 18.9 points per contest. Interim head coach and offensive play caller Thomas Brown has not improved the offense since replacing Matt Eberflus and Shane Waldron. The Bears have scored 17 points or fewer in three consecutive contests. Seattle’s scoring defense should take advantage of this bounce-back spot.
