Chicago Bears vs. Cleveland Browns: 5 storylines to watch in Week 15

LAKE FOREST – One game at a time. The playoff talk is fun, but it will end real soon if the Bears don’t beat the Cleveland Browns this weekend.

Coach Matt Eberflus’ team can keep its playoffs hopes alive with a win. The Bears have won two in a row and likely need to win out over the final four games if they want to make the postseason. Right now, the Bears have about a 7% chance of making the postseason, according to The New York Times’ simulator. A loss this week cuts those already slim odds in half.

Bears quarterback Justin Fields returns to the site of his NFL starting debut, when he was sacked nine times against Cleveland in 2021. The QB has come a long way since that nightmare.

The Bears (5-8) and Browns (8-5) kick off at noon Sunday from Cleveland Browns Stadium. The game will be broadcast on Fox. Here are the top five storylines to watch.

1. Joe Flacco’s still doing it

After twice being called up from the practice squad to start games in the past two weeks, quarterback Joe Flacco finally signed with the Browns’ active roster. The Browns gave him a deal through the end of the season. Flacco could make $75,000 for every regular-season win, and the deal is worth more than $4 million if he leads the Browns to a Super Bowl victory, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Since Deshaun Watson’s season ended four weeks ago because of a shoulder injury, the Browns have been searching for an answer at QB. They appear to have found that in Flacco. The 38-year-old threw three touchdown passes last week in a win over Jacksonville.

But at 8-5, and with a stellar defense, the Browns are absolutely in the mix in the AFC.

Flacco hasn’t played against the Bears since 2019, during his only season as a member of the Denver Broncos.

“[He] has been around for a long time,” Bears linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi said. “And the thing that stands out is his ability to make every throw. He’s got a strong arm, really comfortable in the pocket. It’s impressive to see a guy that just got there have such good command of the offense.”

2. Can the Bears slow Myles Garrett?

The Browns boast the No. 1 sack rate among NFL defenses. They are No. 1 against the pass and No. 1 in total yards. Myles Garrett has 13 sacks already this season. He is a monster who the Bears will have to figure out how to slow down.

Bears starting tackles Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright will have their hands full with Garrett, who was the first overall draft pick back in 2017. The Bears almost certainly will help them out with tight ends Cole Kmet, Marcedes Lewis and Robert Tonyan.

“There’s nothing he can’t do,” offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said of Garrett. “He’s got every facet of a defensive lineman that you would want. The guy can play nose guard, 3-technique, end, he can stand up and be an outside linebacker. He’s got every trait that you really want. He’s a pretty incredible player.”

There’s nothing [Myles Garrett] can’t do. He’s got every facet of a defensive lineman that you would want.”

—  Luke Getsy, Bears offensive coordinator

Fields has allowed 32 sacks in nine starts this season. He has not had a sack-free performance this season, and he has had only one sack-free start in his career. The Browns probably will get home a few times. The Bears might not be able to stop them completely, but they need to limit the pass rush if they’re going to win this game.

3. Can the turnovers keep coming?

The Bears’ defense has had three or more turnovers in each of the past three games. Just about everybody on the defensive side is healthy. The addition of Montez Sweat has worked wonders for the Bears’ defense, not just in the pass rush, either. With Sweat wreaking havoc, the secondary doesn’t have to defend for as long, and the Bears don’t have to blitz their linebackers to create pressure.

The Browns, despite winning last week, still turned the ball over three times. They’ve turned it over seven times in the past three games.

Sweat and the pass rush should find ways to throw Flacco off his game. Flacco was never very mobile to begin with, and he certainly isn’t at age 38. This week, the Bears lost defensive end Yannick Ngakoue to a season-ending ankle injury, which will hurt the defensive line. Veteran DeMarcus Walker will have to step up and second-year pro Dominique Robinson could see action this weekend, too.

After Jedrick Wills Jr. suffered a knee injury last week, the Browns now are without their starting tackles (Jack Conklin already tore his ACL in September).

On both sides of the ball, the matchups to watch are in the trenches.

4. Tough road test

The Browns have an underrated home-field advantage at Cleveland Browns Stadium along Lake Erie. Their defense is significantly more stingy at home than on the road.

The Browns are allowing 4.6 yards per pass attempt at home. On the road, they allow 8.2 yards per pass attempt. They’re better against the run, too. The Browns allow 3.8 yards per rushing attempt at home and 4.4 yards per rushing attempt on the road.

Additionally, both these teams really need a win. As Shaw Local columnist Marc Silverman wrote this week, the Bears are playing their first really meaningful game since 2020. But the Browns need this win just as much as the Bears.

The crowd in Cleveland could be a factor. Browns fans are going to make this one tough on Fields and the Bears’ offense.

5. Banged up Browns

Every team is dealing with injuries by Week 15, but the Browns might be the most injured team in football. Watson is out for the year. As mentioned previously, the Browns are missing both original starting tackles on offense.

This week, defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (pectoral), center Ethan Pocic (stinger) and safety Juan Thornhill (calf) already have been ruled out. Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (concussion), linebacker Anthony Walker (knee) and cornerback Denzel Ward (shoulder) are questionable.

Ward is the one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in all of football. He has been inactive for the previous three games as he deals with the shoulder injury. He would be a huge addition if he can play this weekend and would be a tough matchup for receiver DJ Moore.

The Bears, on the other hand, have been remarkably healthy. Ngakoue went on IR this week, but Moore and safety Jaquan Brisker are the only starters listed as questionable heading into the weekend.

“It’s great to have continuity on the lines,” Eberflus said of the team’s health. “On the offensive line, we finally have continuity there. And also on the defensive line, too. Really throughout the whole football team. It’s been great.”