The NFL is exclusively an American league. It has been since its inception. However, rumors have persisted for years that the owners want to grow the sport beyond U.S. borders. That is why they’ve held regular season games in both London and Mexico City in recent years. Now the expansion is set to continue. One of the league’s strongest centers of support in Europe is Germany. It was popular during the brief few years NFL Europe existed. Now the league aims to hold a game there this season. It’s a question of finding a matchup to display. They appear to have found it. The Chicago Bears will be involved.
Insider David Kaplan of ESPN 1000 revealed on his YouTube channel that expectations are the Bears will head to Germany to face the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs.
It’s not hard to see the logic. Kansas City has the best player on the planet in Patrick Mahomes. Meanwhile, the Bears have had a strong presence overseas for years ever since the 1985 team took the sport by storm with their mix of dominant play and unforgettable characters. Throw in the fact they have an exciting young quarterback in Justin Fields, and it has the makings of a fun matchup.
The Chicago Bears can’t rely on time zones to help them.
Playing in Germany will be a massive adjustment, but it doesn’t change the fact Kansas City is the best team in the league. They’ve won two of the last four Super Bowls and have a roster that will remain strong once again in 2023. If the Bears don’t want to get run out of the building, they must be prepared to play hard and smart for 60 minutes. That’s a lot to ask from a young team. Then again, this is what Matt Eberflus preaches. Hustle, intensity, turnovers, and smarts. This is when that principle should start taking effect.
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The Chicago Bears are already a better team on paper. They upgraded their linebacking corps in a big way. They have more versatility up front defensively. D.J. Moore gives them a bonafide weapon in the passing game. If GM Ryan Poles can add a quality piece to the offensive line and a productive pass rusher, this team might be well-positioned to surprise some people. Nobody will pick them to beat the Chiefs, but Germany has long been a land of overachievers. We’ll see if that works out.
Cool. Should be a good game, but probably an L for the Bears. I think KC is the home team, so they lose true home field advantage, but that means little when both teams are 7 time zones away from home. Great QB matchup, hope that continues to be a classic for years, if Fields does his part.