Icing on the cake: Beating the weather, Browns would boost Bears’ playoff chances

It’s crunch time for the Chicago Bears. They enter a critical four-game stretch to finish the regular season Sunday when they host the Cleveland Browns at Soldier Field.

Chicago controls its own playoff destiny. The Bears enter Week 15 as the No. 7 seed in an NFC playoff field where they’re behind the No. 1 seed Los Angeles Rams by one game. They’re also half a game behind the Green Bay Packers for the NFC North lead.

If Chicago (9-4) can pick up a couple of wins against the Browns (3-10), Packers (9-3-1), San Francisco 49ers (9-4) or Detroit Lions (8-5), the franchise will return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.

It’ll start Sunday against a Browns team that plays better than its record. Cleveland has one of the league’s best defenses, spearheaded by defensive end Myles Garrett. Meanwhile, rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders has given the offense a spark since he was named the starter.

Sunday’s game kicks off at noon on Fox. Here are the top five storylines to watch.

Slowing down Myles Garrett’s run toward history

Chicago will need to limit one of the NFL’s best pass rushers for a second straight week Sunday after going against the Green Bay Packers’ Micah Parsons in Week 14.

Garrett is having an impressive season even for him. He’s already set a career-high with 20 sacks this season, beating his previous record of 16 set in 2021 and matched in 2022. It’s not a very close race for the lead this season either. The New York Giants’ Brian Burns is second with 13.

While the Browns are out of playoff contention, Garrett still has a lot to play for as he chases history. He’ll have four more games to try to break the NFL single-season sack record of 22.5 set by Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ T.J. Watt.

The Bears will try to scheme for Garrett, but there’s only so much scheming a team can do against a player such as him.

“He’s just a complete player,” Bears coach Ben Johnson said. “I think when you look at the size and strength and speed, it’s just a unique package where he really has it all. I mean, he’s very strong. He’s got that bull rush that can take a tackle and put him on roller skates and walk him right back into the quarterback, which happens quite a bit.”

Forcing Shedeur Sanders into mistakes

Sanders might be the NFL’s most-talked-about rookie this season despite being a fifth-round pick. Many analysts have spent the year arguing whether Sanders, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, should be the Browns’ starting quarterback.

He’s shown good and bad since Cleveland made him the starter in Week 12 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Sanders has a strong arm and the ability to scramble out of trouble and pick up yards with his legs. But Sanders’ decision-making, not a surprise for a rookie, is questionable at times.

Cleveland’s game against the Tennessee Titans was a good example. Sanders threw for a season-high 364 yards and three touchdowns to spark a fourth-quarter comeback. But he also threw an interception earlier in the game and missed some key throws.

Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will try to force Sanders into mistakes by throwing different fronts at him before plays.

“I think he’s just getting more comfortable within not only just the offense but just being an NFL quarterback, and I’m expecting him to continue to take that next step this week,” safety Kevin Byard said. “So just because he’s a rookie does not mean we could take this guy lightly. He’s very talented.”

Looking for a defensive weakness

Yes, a lot of attention will go to stopping Garrett from making history Sunday, but the Bears can’t just focus on Garrett.

Cleveland’s defense under defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is at the top of most categories. The Browns have the second-fewest average yards allowed per game (272.8) heading into Week 15 and the lowest passing yards allowed per game (165.2). They rank 13th in rushing yards allowed per game (107.7) and are tied for 14th with 16 takeaways.

There’s talent all around the Browns defense. Defensive tackle Maliek Collins is behind Garrett with 6.5 sacks, while rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger has made an impact with two interceptions and a team-leading 119 tackles.

But with a 3-10 record, the Browns defense isn’t perfect. The Tennessee Titans’ Tony Pollard broke through and rushed for 161 yards against the Browns on Sunday. With a cold forecast expected, the Bears will try to replicate that success.

“It’s a challenge because they’re a really good defense, but we have to go back to focus on, you know, what makes us, us,” Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle said. “Where you know what we want to show up in the run game, and you know, that’s the (offensive) line, that’s the tight ends, that’s the backs, and then that’s us blocking the perimeter.”

Golden opportunity?

A lot of the attention Sunday will be on the Browns’ pass rush, but the Bears’ pass rush could also take a major step Sunday.

Cleveland’s offensive line is riddled with injuries. Starting guards Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller and right tackle Jack Conklin have all dealt with injuries, while center Ethan Pocic and tackle Dawand Jones have had season-ending surgeries. Conklin and Teller were ruled out for Sunday, while Bitonio is questionable.

That could present an opportunity for the Bears’ pass rush, which has dealt with some injuries this season. Chicago has struggled to pressure quarterbacks for much of the season and ranks near the bottom in most major pass rush categories.

But players such as defensive end Montez Sweat have found ways to break through even during the struggles. He could be a major player Sunday.

“We’ve done a lot of study in terms of who their guys are, who their guys potentially could be, and then we have to adjust based on the lineup that’s in the game,” Allen said. “But the No. 1 thing we have to be able to do is, we’ve got to be able to defend the scheme first before we can worry about how we’re attacking different players.”

Blustery cold

Sunday will be a frigid game for the teams on the field and fans in the stands.

As of Friday, the high temperature is forecast to be around 11 degrees Fahrenheit, while the wind chill will make it feel like minus-3 degrees. The low temperature could get down to 3 degrees, while winds will swirl around 10 to 20 mph at the lakefront. That will be a few degrees shy of setting the lowest recorded high for Dec. 14, which is 5 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

It will be one of the coldest games in Soldier Field history if the forecast holds, although it won’t set the record. The Bears’ coldest game at Soldier Field came on Dec. 28, 2008, against the Green Bay Packers when it was 2 degrees at kickoff.

But players and coaches weren’t worried about the cold ahead of the game. They feel they’re prepared to execute in this weather.

“It’s obviously cold this time of the year,” rookie tight end Colston Loveland said. “Everyone knew that coming in that Chicago gets cold, the Midwest is cold, so it’s going to be chilly, but I think that’s what we’re built for.”