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Coming off a brutal rivalry loss to Green Bay, facing wind chills expected to hit -20 degrees, and staring at a playoff race that leaves almost no margin for error, Ben Johnson didn’t hide the stakes.
It’s going to be FREEZING in Chicago for Browns-Bears on Sunday 🥶
“We need this win, we desperately need this win,” Johnson said Wednesday. “We have goals, every game matters. Every game matters.”
And this one matters more than any they’ve played all season.
Win, and the Chicago Bears stay in control of their playoff path (with a chance for next week’s rematch against the Packers to become a battle for first place in the NFC North if Green Bay loses to Denver).
Lose, and Chicago slides into dangerous territory in a crowded, unforgiving NFC race.
A Dangerous Browns Team and a Rookie QB Heating Up
GettyBrowns QB Shedeur Sanders
Johnson didn’t waste time setting the tone, explaining how the Cleveland Browns are on the uphill climb with first-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders now three starts in.
“You can feel their offense picking it up,” Johnson said. “He’s a dangerous player… they can get hot and make you hurt in a hurry.”
Sanders extends plays, creates outside structure, and looks more comfortable each week in Kevin Stefanski’s system. And with only a small sample of NFL film to study, the Chicago Bears enter this matchup with more questions than answers.
But Sanders isn’t Chicago’s biggest problem. That honor goes to Myles Garrett.
The league’s most destructive edge rusher, sitting at a staggering 20 sacks, with the next closest being Brian Burns at 13, is the matchup that could decide the game.
Garrett is doing more than just dominating… He’s on pace to threaten the single-season sack record, even while seeing constant double and triple teams. Johnson called him “almost unblockable” and explained how Cleveland’s wide-nine unleashes Garrett.
“He might be on another level than anybody else in this league right now,” Johnson said.
That puts enormous pressure on Caleb Williams and Chicago’s young tackles, Ozzy Trapilo and Darnell Wright, who will see Garrett and Cleveland’s ultra-aggressive front from every angle. And Garrett is far from the only threat.
Playoff Pressure Is Officially On
GettyBears QB Caleb Williams
This Browns defense is a top three unit for a reason: From elite team speed to a disruptive front four, disguised coverages to a rookie linebacker (Carson Schwesinger) who Johnson says reminds him of Luke Kuechly, this is shaping up to be a difficult challenge for the Bears.
And facing that challenge only gets harder when the expected conditions at Soldier Field: are 10 degree temps, 14 mph winds, and a wind chill at -20.
This is looking like it might be a game that will be fought and won through the offensive line and the run game. The good news for Chicago? Their second-ranked rushing attack, powered by D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai, is built for ugly weather and late season football.
But the reality is unavoidable: the Chicago Bears are walking into subzero conditions, the league’s most terrifying pass rusher, and a moment that could swing their entire season.
Ben Johnson laid out the stakes. Now Chicago has to rise to them.
Garrett Klaus Garrett Klaus is a NFL contributor at Heavy.com, where he covers the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Carolina Panthers. More about Garrett Klaus
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