Bears look to bounce back against Garrett, Browns with rematch against Packers looming

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CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears were rolling along and on top of the NFC before they got tripped up at Green Bay last week.

They'll get their shot at payback when Jordan Love and the Packers visit Soldier Field next week. But before they can turn their attention toward the rematch with their rivals, they'll need to deal with Myles Garrett when they host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

“Some people will call this a classic trap game or whatever it may be," safety Kevin Byard said. "I don’t really believe in trap games in the league. I think every single week you have to bring your best ball regardless of records.”

The Bears (9-4) had won five straight and nine of 10 before losing 28-21 at Green Bay last week, when Caleb Williams got intercepted in the end zone in the closing minute. They fell behind the first-place Packers in the NFC North and plummeted all the way from first to seventh in a crowded conference race.

With little room for error, they can't afford to look past Garrett and the Browns. The four-time All-Pro has 20 sacks and needs just 2 1/2 to match the NFL single-season record shared by New York Giants Hall of Famer Michael Strahan (2001) and Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt (2021).

“We have goals, and we know what’s out in front of us," Bears coach Ben Johnson said. "And so, it’s just that awareness that every game matters. Every game matters. That’s where this week, you go from an emotional rivalry game, like we just played. This week is equally important. We need this win. We desperately need this win.”

The Bears secured a winning season for the first time since the 2018 team won the NFC North when they beat defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia in Week 13. Their most recent trip to the playoffs came two years later, and despite a big jump in Johnson's first season, a postseason appearance is no sure thing.

The schedule takes a tough turn after this week, with the final three games against the Packers, at San Francisco and against Detroit at home. The Bears and 49ers have identical records, and the Lions (8-5) pounded Chicago in Week 2.

Cleveland, which has lost two straight, is last in the AFC North. The Tennessee Titans outlasted the Browns 31-29 last week.

Rookie Shedeur Sanders is coming off the best performance of his young career. The former Colorado star, who fell to the fifth round in the draft, threw three touchdown passes, ran for a score and finished with 364 yards against Tennessee. He joined Joe Burrow as the only rookie QBs in league history with at least 350 yards passing, three TDs and a rushing TD in a game.

Sanders could be challenged this week. Though the Bears tend to give up big chunks of yards, they also lead the league with 18 interceptions and 27 takeaways.

“That’s a statistic that lets you know that they’re a good team," he said. "But I think when you approach each and every week, I think you know that the defenders are capable of catching an interception.”

Williams and Sanders had quite the showdown when USC visited Colorado in 2023.

Williams completed 30 of 40 passes for 403 yards and six touchdowns, and the Trojans won a shootout, 48-41. Sanders was almost as good, finishing 30 of 45 for 371 yards and four scores.

“It was a good atmosphere, good game," Williams said. "We ended up coming out with the victory and Shedeur was a hell of a player.”

Williams hopes for a similar outcome this time. It wouldn't hurt if he ended his string of inconsistent performances. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner has completed fewer than 60% of his passes in six straight games and is at 57.8% for the season.