Picks to Click: Seahawks vs. Bears

Ty Dane Gonzalez rattles off his five "picks to click" for the Seahawks in their Week 16 matchup with the Bears.

After seeing their slim playoff hopes crushed on Tuesday night, the Seahawks don't have much to play for the rest of the way. But with three games remaining on the regular season slate, the show must go on. Next up: a date with a young, 4-10 Bears team at Lumen Field.

Who will step up for Seattle in this one? Here are my five "picks to click."

RB Rashaad Penny

With a snowy afternoon in the forecast, the Seahawks will likely rely on the run game heavily. That means Penny, despite getting banged-up against the Rams and being ultimately outshined by DeeJay Dallas, should be a pretty big part of their gameplan on Sunday. The Bears have been a middle-of-the-pack team when comes to stopping the run this season, allowing 4.3 yards per carry. Therefore, opportunities will be there for Penny and Seattle to find success on the ground. 

DE Darrell Taylor

It's been a struggle for Chicago to keep its quarterbacks upright, ranking dead-last in the NFL with a 9.6 percent sack rate and 27th with a 38 percent pressure rate. Starting left tackle Jason Peters missed the team's Week 15 game against the Vikings and has been a non-participant in practice thus far, which means rookie Teven Jenkins will likely get the start. Look for Taylor to feast on Jenkins, who's allowed nine pressures and a pair of sacks in just two games played thus far. 

DT Poona Ford

He may not be getting a ton of attention, but Ford is quietly having yet another productive season. Coming off a strong showing down in Inglewood, he'll be key in stopping the Bears' most dangerous weapon on offense: running back David Montgomery, who's averaging 4.1 yards per carry with four touchdowns in 2021. Ford and company will see plenty of Montgomery in this one, especially if it snows; and if they can limit him, Chicago's offense won't have a leg to stand on.

LB Jordyn Brooks

Brooks may be the best story to come out of this heartbreaking season for the Seahawks. Since the bye week, he's been the team's leading tackler (74) and has played a large role in turning things around against screen plays. Sunday's game should play right to his greatest strengths and attest to the improvements he's made in the latter half of the year. Capable of matching the Bears' speed on offense, Brooks will be very active in this one.

CB Sidney Jones

Rookie quarterback Justin Fields will miss this game with an ankle injury, meaning veteran Nick Foles will get the start for Chicago. Given the anticipated elements, the Bears are unlikely to pass the ball a ton. But when they do, Foles may be susceptible to a turnover or two. Jones is still looking for his first pick in a Seahawks uniform and, for the aforementioned reasons, should have a decent shot at it on a snowy Sunday afternoon in downtown Seattle.