3 bold predictions for the Bears game against the Browns

There's no sugarcoating it; the Bears need to come out with a win over the Browns on Sunday.

They might be in a good position at 9-5 under normal circumstances, but the NFC playoff picture this season does not qualify as that. They will need to reach 11 wins to feel good about their chances, and that still might not be enough if they lose to the 49ers and Lions over the final two weeks.

That's a story for another day, though. Right now, the Bears only need to worry about taking care of business at home against Cleveland. The Browns' extensive injury report could do them some favors in that regard. The weather looks like it should do the same.

The Bears should have the upper hand in a few areas against a Browns team that could already have their mind on Cancun. However, a few players still have something to play for (other than pride) on their side. That makes Sunday's game an interesting one.

I was feeling bold last week by predicting an upset win over Green Bay. That might not have gone as planned, but the logic was sound. If at first you don't succeed, try again. How about we go back to the bold predictions well for round two?

1. The Bears offensive line don't give up a sack.

Myles Garrett, who already has 20 sacks, might be on the verge of setting the single-season sack record (22.5 sacks), but I don't think he will get it this week. In fact, I don't think anyone on the Browns defense will get a sack this week. Caleb Williams has been a masterful escape artist this season, and I think he will continue the Houdini act tomorrow.

If you want a stat that really shows off how well the Bears offensive line is playing, here you go.

Per SumerBrain they are 12th-best in pressure percentage allowed, while also having an average time to throw that is SIGNIFICANTLY higher than every team in the top 10. pic.twitter.com/gqqh4iVXva
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) December 1, 2025

The Browns rank third in the league with 44 sacks, but the Bears' offensive line has allowed 20 sacks, tied for the fifth-fewest. I think Ben Johnson will really establish the running game in the frigid weather, which will prevent the Browns' defensive line from pinning their ears back and sack hunting. Garrett might've had 4.5 sacks against the Bears in Justin Fields' starting debut, but I think tomorrow's game will be frustrating for the future Hall of Famer.

2. Chicago's pass rush finally gets unlocked with a five sack performance.

The Bears' defense hasn't reached the five-sack mark in any game this season. They also didn't achieve five sacks in any game last season. They haven't had five sacks since beating the Commanders 40-20 on October 5, 2023. I think that streak comes to an end tomorrow, and Chicago's defensive line will feast on an offensive line missing (at least) four out of five starters.

Will the performance be a sign of things to come? Unfortunately, no. It probably won't. The pass rush is going to be a problem until they find some consistent pressure opposite Montez Sweat (who also could do a much better job getting consistent pressure) and will inevitably be this team's Achilles heel. Still, the vibes will be high after feasting on Cleveland's depleted o-line, which will probably be forced to pass more with a less-than-efficient rushing attack.

3. The Bears run for 200 yards on the Browns' stout run defense.

The Browns have given up the 12th fewest rushing yards (1400) and have allowed the second-fewest yards-per-carry (3.8). What does that indicate? That they've been down a lot, and teams are running the ball late to kill the clock. It also indicates that they've done a good job of stopping opponents on the ground. That was far from the case against the Titans last week, though.

Tennessee completely ran over Cleveland for 184 yards. The Browns' defensive line seemed to miss Maliek Collins, who suffered a season-ending quad injury two weeks ago, dearly. I think the Bears' offensive line could find similar success on the ground. They pushed around Green Bay's stout run defense in the second half of last week's game and rank second in the league with 1984 yards on the ground. The forecast is shaping up for a big rushing day, and I don't expect Ben Johnson to disappoint.

More Chicago Bears News

The latest news regarding Rome Odunze indicates just how tough he is

Ben Johnson's latest quote on Caleb Williams proves his work ethic hits the mark

It sounds like one member of the Browns' rookie class was almost a Bear (& it wasn't Quinshon Judkins)

The Browns' offensive line is in shambles ahead of Bears game