The Chicago Bears will face off against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football as they try to get their third straight win and stay on track in a highly competitive NFC North. Quarterback Caleb Williams has made a huge difference for Chicago’s offense, but they will face their biggest challenge yet with Seattle’s defense, which is one of the top in the NFL in nearly every statistical category.

Both teams will be debuting players they acquired in trades. This will be the first start for guard Quenton Nelson since being traded to the Seahawks, while it will also be the first time defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons wears a Chicago uniform. Nelson and Simmons played each other earlier in the season with their former teams and have faced each other many times as former division opponents.

Here is what it would take for the Bears to win this game and what it would take for Chicago to lose this game to the Seahawks. 

Here is what it would take for the Bears to win this game and what it would take for Chicago to lose this game to the Seahawks. 

Why the Bears will win

The Bears will win this game because of their defense. Seattle is at their worst when their offense is turning the ball over and Chicago has the playmakers to get those takeaways. Last time Simmons played against Nelson, he forced a fumble. The Bears would like to see that happen again in this game. At the very least, they want to see Simmons put pressure on Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, forcing him to make an errant throw or two.

Takeaways also create short fields for Chicago’s offense to work with, which Caleb Williams and the Bears will capitalize on. Chicago will need to get their run game going with running back D’Andre Swift. The Bears’ offense cannot afford to make any mistakes in this game, especially costly penalties and turnovers.

Why the Bears won’t win

The Bears will not win this game because Seattle’s defense will completely take over. They allow the second-fewest yards per rushing attempt of any defense in the NFL, making it difficult for Chicago to get their run game going. Whenever they struggle to run the ball, the Bears offense struggles to sustain drives and get points. The Seahawks’ defense also has a tendency to take the ball away and will be looking to get multiple turnovers in this game.

Offensively, Seattle’s top running backs, Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price, have no injury designation for this game and will be available. It will be the first time all season both backs are available, since Charbonnet has been out since tearing his ACL last season. Chicago’s defense is allowing an average of 4.4 yards per rushing attempt, something Charbonnet and Price will both look to exploit.