The Seattle Seahawks take on another difficult challenge when the team plays the Chicago Bears in Week 8 on Monday Night Football. To help prepare for the game, we spoke with Ryan Heckman of FanSided's Bear Goggles On about what 12s should expect from Chicago.
Seattle is 4-3 and could be 5-2, except for a regrettable loss to the Washington Commanders early in the season. Chicago is 5-2 and two games behind the Minnesota Vikings for the NFC North lead. Both teams have a chance to win their divisions.
The game could be a preview of the playoffs, and the outcome of Week 8 could help shape who has home-field advantage in the postseason. Still, we aren't quite there yet.
Finding out more about the Seattle Seahawks' Week 8 matchup with a Chicago Bears expert
The Johnson and Williams magic
12th Man Rising: What makes the Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams connection work so well?
Ryan Heckman: "This is going to sound cliché, but they both just want to win. The two of them are pure competitors. Everything you might read about Ben Johnson being a psychopath and completely, totally obsessed with football… it’s all true.
Williams keeps himself even-keeled, contrary to some who might think he’s too emotional at times. It’s true, he’s an emotional being. But he is known for practicing specific breathing exercises throughout the game and in crucial moments to be able to keep himself calm and focused.
The football obsession, aggressiveness, and intuitiveness of Johnson, combined with a cool, calm, and collected Williams, make for a match made in heaven."
Reaction: Johnson and Mike Macdonald were arguably the two hottest head coaching candidates in the 2023 offseason, and while things have worked out quite well after Seattle hired Macdonald, Johnson stuck around the Detroit Lions for another year before choosing Chicago.
That makes the Week 8 matchup all the more thrilling. Two young coaches at the top of the respective games are challenging one another. That makes for must-watch football.
Most concerning part for Seahawks fans with Chicago's defense
12th Man Rising: If one is a Seahawks fan, what should they be most concerned about with Chicago's defense?
Ryan Heckman: "That's a great question, because there are certainly holes (namely in the secondary). At this very moment, though, your biggest concern should be the creative blitz packages from Dennis Allen.
Since Kyler Gordon has returned from injury, Allen has used him as a blitzer on several occasions, and it’s worked. Gordon has four sacks in his two games back and has been borderline-unstoppable as a pass rusher, which is weird to say since he’s a corner.
Allen will also bring linebackers and safeties on blitzes at times, but the ones you need to look out for are the blitzes by defensive backs. Somehow, some way, Allen schemes those up so perfectly, and they create pressure more often than not."
Reaction: Successful blitzes should worry Seahawks fans, as that is the exact kind of thing that gives Sam Darnold the most issues. Against the Minnesota Vikings last season, for instance, he could do little against all the creative pressure.
The game could turn on Darnold's turnovers, so getting the ball out quickly and smartly will be key.
Some Bears positivity
12th Man Rising: What has been the most positively surprising part of the Bears' 5-2 start?
Ryan Heckman: "Easy answer: time of possession, and it starts with the run game and ends with Caleb Williams. The Bears lead the NFL in time of possession with over 35 minutes per game. They’ve been able to preserve leads in the fourth quarter in impressive fashion.
Johnson will not shy away from the run too often, even with the Bears missing Kyle Monangai for a few games now.
His commitment to the run is where the time-of-possession domination starts. But Williams has taken such a big leap in his game that he’s dominating on third downs, thus being able to extend drives.
So far, Williams on third down:
68.6% comp. (third in the NFL)
9.0 yards per attempt (fourth in the NFL)
6 completions of 20+ yards (third in the NFL)"
Reaction: The game features the two best defenses in the league through Week 7 in terms of not allowing third down conversions. Chicago has only done so 26.1 percent of the time, and Seattle has done so 28.0 percent. To keep the Bears from continuing to dominate time of possession, Seattle will need to keep being great on third down.
The real issue might be the Seahawks staying on the field offensively, instead of worrying about Chicago doing the same. Seattle's offense is 19th in the league in converting on third downs at just 38.9 percent.
What should worry the Bears?
12th Man Rising: What is the most concerning part about Week 8 for the Bears as they take on the Seahawks?
Ryan Heckman: "JSN scares the living daylights out of me as a Bears fan who has watched Jaylon Johnson run like a linebacker, and Tyrique Stevenson continue to play as inconsistently as ever.
Johnson is cooked, as the kids say. He looks completely done as a starting cornerback in the NFL. Stevenson is unpredictable and capable of being burned badly, especially by good route runners.
The Bears’ only hope against JSN is if rookie Malik Muhammad is healthy enough to go and can play the majority of his snaps on Smith-Njigba. He’s their best cover corner at this point and offers some physicality."
Reaction: The most receiving yards that Smith-Njigba has had in a game is 180 in Week 9 of 2024 against the Los Angeles Rams. The most catches he has had in a game is 12, and he has done that twice. He might need to come close to those numbers for Seattle to get a Week 8 victory.
At least, the Seahawks will have running back Zach Charbonnet back, and that should help a little. He won't get lots of carries, most likely.
Super Bowl contenders?
12th Man Rising: Finish this sentence: A victory for the Bears at Lumen Field on Monday Night Football would mean...
Ryan Heckman: "...you can pencil them in as legitimate Super Bowl contenders."
Reaction: To be fair to Heckman, the Bears should already consider themselves Super Bowl contenders. They have a very good quarterback and are off to a good start to the season. Let's hope they don't win at Lumen Field in Week 8, of course, but if they do, they will only grow in confidence.
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