The Chicago Bears Have Pulled Off Shocking Upset Victories When Least Expected
The Chicago Bears travel to Kansas City on Sunday to face the Chiefs in a late afternoon matchup. Most fans and NFL analysts believe that the Bears stand no chance in defeating the defending Super Bowl Champions, as most oddsmakers have Kansas City favored to win by 12.5 points. Although the Bears are unlikely to win on Sunday, there have been moments in franchise history when the team has won despite everyone expecting them to lose.
Bears Have Won Improbable Game In Recent History
One of the main reasons why Kansas City is favored by such a large margin is due to All-Pro quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who is the reigning league MVP. Mahomes, along with head coach Andy Reid and tight end Travis Kelce, oversees one of the league’s best offensive scoring units. The Bear’s defense comes in struggling as they have failed to force a turnover, have just one sack, and have allowed over 500 yards passing through the first two games of the season.
Former Bears’ teams have found themselves in similar situations but have found a way to win against all odds. The most recent upset victory for Chicago came last year in the 2022 season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers came in as a heavy favorite as they had played in the NFC Championship game the previous year while the Bears were embarking on a rebuild with new head coach Matt Eberflus. Despite the stark difference in talent level, Chicago won the game 19-10, as San Fransico was significantly hindered by torrential rain throughout the game.
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Six years prior, Chicago again would pull off another massive upset at home as they beat the one-loss Minnesota Vikings on Halloween Night of 2016. Heading into the game, the Bears had only one win heading into Week 8 and were shuffling at the quarterback position between Jay Cutler and Brian Hoyer. Chicago won the game 20-10 as Minnesota’s quarterback, Sam Bradford, was intercepted once and sacked five times. Bears’ rookie running back Jordan Howard rushed for over 153 yards in the victory.
More significant upsets have come on the road, including Chicago’s 2014 28-20 victory over San Francisco. During a Week 2 Sunday Night Football contest, which featured the 49ers unveiling their new stadium, the Bears were a touchdown underdog to the reigning NFC Champions. The Bears would overcome a 17-0 deficit late in the second quarter as Cutler threw four touchdowns in the come-from-behind win. Rookie cornerback Kyle Fuller impressed the nation as he recorded two interceptions in the second half of the game.
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Arguably, the most shocking upset in the last 25 years for Chicago has been the team’s 2008 season-opening victory over the Indianapolis Colts in 2008. In a rematch of Super Bowl 41 on Sunday Night Football, the Colts were opening their new stadium, Lucas Oil Stadium, and were ten-point favorites. The Bears shocked the country as they won 29-13 against a Colts team that featured Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning.
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There Is A Path To Victory For The Bears
If the Bears are victorious against the Chiefs on Sunday, it would be one of the most prominent upset victories in franchise history, especially with the chaotic week Chicago has endured. Defensive coordinator Alan Williams resigned on Wednesday after being away from the team for a week and missing the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Additionally, quarterback Justin Fields created some controversy with his comments regarding his struggles to start the season as he partially placed blame on the offensive coaching staff before walking the comments back.
Kansas City’s offense has surprisingly struggled to begin the 2023 season, as they have only scored 37 points through two games. One of the reasons for the Chiefs’ offensive struggle could be play-calling, as their offensive coordinator is former Bears’ head coach Matt Nagy. Nagy’s offensive scheme in Chicago was often criticized as too complex and extremely inconsistent. Although Mahomes and the Chiefs have generated a lot of yards on offense, they have only four touchdowns through two games.
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The Chiefs were upset last season in their Week 3 matchup against the Colts as Kansas City lost 20-17. One of the reasons for the loss was due to the play of Colts’ defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, who consistently applied pass-rush pressure to Mahomes and recorded a sack. Ngakoue has the Bears’ lone sack this year but has been consistently generating pass-rush pressure.
A win in Kansas City is unlikely for the Bears, but anything can happen on an NFL Sunday. In 2011, The undefeated Green Bay Packers played the Chiefs in a Week 15 matchup only to lose in a shocking upset. Chicago is mired in a 12-game losing streak dating back to last October, but a win against the Chiefs wouldn’t just snap the streak but shock the NFL world.