The Seattle Seahawks take on the Chicago Bears in Week 8 on Monday Night Football, which could be a preview of a playoff game later in the season. Seattle is led by elite, defensive-minded head coach Mike Macdonald, and Chicago is led by the brilliant, offensive-minded Ben Johnson.
Macdonald's team might need the victory more. Seattle is 4-3, and Chicago is 5-2, but the Seahawks are already two games back of the NFC West lead to the San Francisco 49ers.
Plus, the game is at Lumen Field, and the Seahawks need to take advantage of home-field advantage when they have it. That might not be the case if Seattle plays the Bears in the playoffs and Chicago has won the NFC North.
Seattle Seahawks inactives and injury updates
Inactives
- Left tackle Charles Cross (ankle)
- Wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (knee)
- Running back Velus Jones Jr. (hamstring)
- Seattle will announce its inactives an hour and a half before kickoff, and this article will be updated with the latest information
Edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu is listed as doubtful with an ankle injury. That likely means he won't play, and he would be a huge loss, as he is excellent against the run and the pass.
Cross is expected to miss a little time, though he hasn't been placed on injured reserve, and that is a good sign. Josh Jones should be a good replacement for a couple of games.
Shaheed hasn't been productive as a receiver yet (at least, not consistently), and his real power lies in the return game. Tory Horton should be solid taking his reps there, though.
The best part is that Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price had no injury designation on Friday's injury report and are expected to play. Price still has to be activated from injured reserve, but that doesn't need to happen until Monday.
Bears inactives and injury updates
- Running back Kyle Monangai (thumb and toe)
- Like Seattle, Chicago will announce its inactives an hour and a half before kickoff
Monangai is a good RB2, but Chicago has D'Andre Swift and would get the bulk of the carries anyway. In other words, the Bears' rushing attack won't be greatly diminished with Monangai out.
Chicago is healthier than Seattle entering the game. Whether that has a bearing on the outcome remains to be seen.
How to watch Seahawks vs. Bears in Week 8
- Date: Monday, November 2
- Time: 5:15 p.m. PT
- TV Network: ESPN
- Announcers: Joe Buck (play-by-play), Troy Aikman (analysis), Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge (sideline reporters)
The most fun with the broadcast might be to see if Aikman and Buck can set aside their recent differences and not allow any animosity to creep in. The two have worked together for years, but lately there have been issues between them regarding contracts and personnel changes.
If you don't want to listen to their banter, and you live in the Seattle area, you can tune into Seattle Sports 710 AM and KIRO Newsradio 97.3 and hear Steve Raible, Dave Wyman, and Jen Mueller call the game on the Seahawks radio broadcast.
You can also stream the game with the ESPN app and listen on the Seahawks mobile app.
Storylines to watch for Seahawks in Week 8
How quickly can the reconfigured offensive line build cohesion?
Not only is Seattle playing a new left guard, but the former starting left guard is flipping to the right side. The positive is that Quenton Nelson, who Seattle recently traded for, is an elite player and should fit in quickly. Grey Zabel hasn't played the right side in the NFL, though, and no one knows if that will be an issue.
Of course, Josh Jones will be filling in for Charles Cross, so the Seahawks still won't have their ideal starting five available.
Mike Macdonald versus Ben Johnson is the matchup to watch
Arguably the brightest defensive mind in football, Macdonald will be matching scheme and adjustments with one of the brightest offensive minds in the league, Johnson. Chicago can be successful in many different ways, and won't be bothered if the run or pass isn't working.
How creative and how soon one coach can adapt to what the other coach is doing might determine the outcome of the game.
Can Sam Darnold play turnover-free?
Even though Seattle's defense is elite, the Bears are probably going to score some points. Darnold and the Seahawks' offense will have to answer. If the quarterback has too many untimely turnovers, that could tip the scales of the game toward the Bears.
Chicago's second is a bit of a weakness, and Darnold needs to take advantage. The running game might not be good enough to overcome poor decisions by the quarterback.
Prediction
Seattle's offense could be at the start of its best stretch of the season with a retooled offensive line and the return of running back Zach Charbonnet, but the group will probably be better in the future. Charbonnet likely still won't get lots of carries, and left tackle Cross is out.
That said, as long as Darnold doesn't turn the ball over, the Seahawks should be able to throw the ball well. Jaxon Smith-Njigba could have a huge game, and the game could come down to whether Seattle can outscore Chicago in what should make for a Monday Night Football classic.
Seahawks 31, Bears 26
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