The Chicago Bears visit the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on Monday, November 2, at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN. This one is strength against strength: a Chicago offense that moves the ball on the ground and through the air, against a Seattle defense allowing about 247 yards a game.
The Matchup
Records: Chicago Bears 5-2 (2-1 road); Seattle Seahawks 4-3 (3-1 home)
Venue: Lumen Field, Seattle, WA
Kickoff: Monday, November 2, 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Line (DraftKings): SEA -3, O/U 46.5
Chicago Bears at Seattle Seahawks tickets
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What Decides It
Chicago's run game is the weapon Seattle's front has to hold. The Bears run for about 154 yards a game. Seattle allows about 89 on the ground, so something has to give.
D'Andre Swift carries the load with 476 yards and 7 touchdowns. Seattle may also be without defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, who is questionable with a back injury. If Chicago can stay on schedule with Swift, the Bears dictate the game.
Seattle's pass defense is why Chicago can't simply lean on Caleb Williams. The Bears throw for nearly 255 yards a game, but the Seahawks allow just 158 through the air. That gap of nearly 97 yards is the widest on the board, and it favors the defense if Chicago falls behind and has to throw.
Williams' best counter is ball security. He has 5 touchdowns and 1 interception, and a quarterback who doesn't give the ball away is how you beat a defense this stingy: take the short gains and let the run game finish drives.
Seattle's defense gives it the margin, and Lumen Field has helped. The Seahawks allow nearly 18 points a game while scoring 24, and they just held their last visitor to 3 points in a 20-3 win. They are 3-1 at home and 1-2 on the road.
The flip side is turnovers. Sam Darnold has 8 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, and Chicago's pass defense gives up about 241 yards a game, so this is a game Darnold can win or lose. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the reason to trust the Seattle passing game: 867 yards and 8 touchdowns, against a Chicago secondary missing two safeties.
Players to Watch
Chicago Bears
Passing: Caleb Williams – 88-124, 1,020 YDS, 5-1 (TD-INT)
Rushing: D'Andre Swift – 116 ATT, 476 YDS, 7 TD
Receiving: Luther Burden III – 35 REC, 491 YDS, 2 TD
Seattle Seahawks
Passing: Sam Darnold – 110-177, 1,290 YDS, 8-8 (TD-INT)
Rushing: Emanuel Wilson – 111 ATT, 403 YDS, 3 TD
Receiving: Jaxon Smith-Njigba – 58 REC, 867 YDS, 8 TD
Injury Report
Chicago Bears
Anthony Johnson Jr. (S): Out – Undisclosed
Coby Bryant (S): Injured Reserve – Knee
Kyle Monangai (RB): Questionable – Thumb
Colston Loveland (TE): Questionable – Neck
D'Marco Jackson (LB): Questionable – Ankle
Seattle Seahawks
Jadarian Price (RB): Injured Reserve – Chest
Zach Charbonnet (RB): Questionable – Knee - ACL
Byron Murphy II (DT): Questionable – Back
Drew Lock (QB): Questionable – Elbow
Rashid Shaheed (WR): Questionable – Knee
The safety losses are the ones to watch for Chicago, given Smith-Njigba's production. For Seattle, two running backs on the report puts more of the ground game on Wilson.
Prediction
Seattle Seahawks 23, Chicago Bears 20. Chicago's run game should keep this close, but Seattle's pass defense is built to blunt the Bears' biggest source of yards, and the Seahawks have been far better at home than away. Darnold's interceptions are the risk, yet Smith-Njigba against a thinned Chicago secondary is the matchup that tips it to Seattle.