Hub Arkush: It's desperation time for many in Bears organizations with Lions in town
Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions takes on a very different significance for the Bears than their last five.
Yes, every game matters. The Vikings game was the Bears' chance to take control of the NFC North, and the Packers game was their last chance to control their own destiny. All five games were winnable, but none was a guaranteed win - not even for good teams against five very good opponents.
But a loss to the Lions would signal the wheels are completely off and the organization is in disarray - something no one at Halas Hall can afford right now.
Matchup to watch
Lions' ground game vs. Bears' run D
When these two met Week 1 the ageless wonder Adrian Peterson, with less than a week as a Lion, dominated early and the Lions' rushing (29 attempts for 138 yards) allowed them to win the time of possession battle and pile up their 23-6 lead before the Bears came storming back.
The Bears' run defense had improved dramatically until the whole defense collapsed last Sunday at Lambeau.
Shutting down Detroit's run game Sunday would be the perfect way to come back physical, dominant and control the clock.
Coaching decision to watch
All from Darrell Bevell
Bevell has been a highly respected offensive mind in Minnesota and Seattle and a head coaching candidate several times over the past six or seven seasons, but with a new general manager coming too, it's unlikely he'll be a candidate to get this job.
But this is an audition.
Look for Bevell to pull out all the stops to have his Lions fired up and to give the Bears a few surprises they aren't expecting.
Player(s) to watch
Marvin Jones, Justin Coleman and Mike Ford
With wide receiver Kenny Golladay out again for the Lions, Jones has to be able to come out and make a difference. Chuck Pagano is certain to try and take him away.
Cornerback Marcus Trufant is on injured reserve, Jeffrey Okudah is out again, and most of the Lions' depth at cornerback is on I.R. as well.
Coleman and Ford at the corners will have bulls eyes on them all day. Bears receivers should be licking their chops.
The X-factor
Akiem Hicks and Matthew Stafford
Every team has injuries and losing one guy is never an excuse, but Hicks is one of the best interior linemen in the game. It will be interesting to see if the defense bounces right back to where it was with his return.
Stafford has struggled in three of his last four games against below average defenses in Minnesota, Carolina and Houston. He was just average against the Bears in Week 1. He missed both Bears games last season and was bad in both 2018 meetings.
But when he's right, he's a franchise QB. Which Stafford shows up Sunday could be a game-changer one way or the other.
Wild-card players
Danny Amendola, Kerryon Johnson and Anthony Miller
Amendola should return from a hip injury that sidelined him the last two games, and with Golladay out he becomes key.
At 35, he is still getting it done from the slot, and Bears nickelback Buster Skrine has struggled the last few games.
Johnson is a 2018 second-round pick, who will get his chances if the Swift concussion - he didn't practice Thursday or Friday - keeps him out.
Miller had the game of his life last Thanksgiving in Detroit and told us Friday, "I'm just focused on the Chicago Bears and what we need to do to get a win, to get back in that groove again. I just think it's long overdue, us losing games, that's not us at all. I feel like we have business to handle and we just need to focus on getting that win."
The final word
Bears 27, Lions 16
The Bears are not a great football team, but they're too good to have lost five straight and then not be able to handle a banged-up club in disarray like the Lions. The Bears embarrassed themselves last Sunday night. Whether they can salvage the season or not remains to be seen, but they have to be angry enough to storm out and take this one.
• Twitter: @Hub_Arkush