The Chicago Bears didn’t imagine they’d be in line for a top pick in the 2023 draft. They haven’t played like it. One can’t comprehend how close this team has been to having a winning record. Of their 12 losses this season, seven have been by one score. If even half those games went the other way, the Bears would be 6-9 or 7-8. Sadly, a mixture of bad luck, injuries, and lacking overall talent have conspired to put them in this position. Right now, the Bears are two losses from locking down the #2 pick. However, there is greater intrigue brewing with the #1 pick.
For most of the year, that spot has been held firmly by the Houston Texans. However, their victory over the Tennessee Titans last week puts Chicago only a half-game back from claiming the spot. What’s even crazier is there is a reasonable chance they will win one of their remaining two games. The team has played pretty well. Aside from the win over Tennessee, they also took Kansas City to overtime and had a 4th quarter lead before falling to Dallas. Up next, they have Jacksonville, who, according to Adam Stites of USA Today, may not have much incentive to focus on their upcoming game.
“By the time the Jaguars step on the field against the Texans in that contest, the Tennessee Titans will have already played two games. The Titans will face the Texans on Saturday before meeting the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday.
If Tennessee loses one or both of those games, the Jaguars and Titans will duel for the AFC South title in Week 18. It wouldn’t matter if the Jaguars are 8-8 after rolling through the Texans or 7-9 after laying down.”
As we just stated, the Titans lost to Houston.
That means the upcoming game is entirely inconsequential for the Jaguars. It doesn’t matter if they win or lose. They will still play Tennessee for the division in the season finale. If they decide to rest Trevor Lawrence, who is dealing with a toe injury, that gives the Texans a clear path to their third win.
The Chicago Bears may get an assist from elsewhere too.
If Jacksonville still takes care of business, the Texans will have an even bigger chance to get that win in the season finale against Indianapolis. The Colts are in the midst of a brutal five-game losing streak. It’s been characterized by an offense averaging 15.4 points per game. They’ve turned the ball over 12 times in that stretch. It’s been especially bad over their last six quarters.
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Houston took a 20-6 lead in their first meeting with the Colts before the game ended in a tie. So the Texans know they can beat this team. It would be a great feeling if they sent their rivals tumbling into an uncertain off-season with what could be their seventh consecutive defeat. This means all the Chicago Bears would have to do is lose their final two games to Detroit and Minnesota to secure the #1 pick for the first time since 1947. That should be a difficult task with how absurdly banged up their roster is lately.
I would not be surprised to see J Fields and Co win one if not both games to end the season. I would not be surprised if Houston were to win one or both of their remaining games either. The NFL is a crap shoot every Sunday, where any team may win on any given Sunday! As a fan, I would love to see the Bears with the #1 pick but will rest easy knowing they will have a top 7 pick either way!
It would be interesting if the season ended with Bears having the first pick in the entire 2023 NFL draft; if for no other purposes than: 1) to provide Ryan Poles an opportunity to select his personal choice of a “franchise QB;” and 2) to prove to Justin Fields haters that Ryan Pace made Ryan Poles’ NFL life, and the team “rebuild” much easier than any other rookie GM will be facing this year.
@Tom the bears are a high school team. grow your ass up
The NFL could avoid all this crap if they just put the Bottom 5 teams into an NBA style draft lottery
Do not hold your breath on the #1 overall pick going to the Bears. If I know my Bears they will find a way to win one or even both of the remaining games and end up drafting 7th instead of in the top 2. Go look at their 1997 season for the best example of this. 2-11 sitting with the #1 pick. End the year 2-1 for a 4-12 record and slip to #5 overall. Oh and FYI the following draft the Colts took Peyton Manning #1 overall and the Bears took Curtis Enis at #5. Only a die… Read more »