As the Cleveland Browns gear up for their penultimate road trip of the season, they’ll head into a frigid Soldier Field to face a Chicago Bears team that just took a tough loss to the Packers and is hungry to bounce back. For the Browns, it’s a chance to rebound from their own stumble against the Titans-a game where the offense finally showed signs of life, but the defense and special teams left plenty to clean up.
Defensive Focus: No Letdowns Allowed
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz didn’t mince words when reflecting on last week’s loss to Tennessee, where Cleveland gave up 184 rushing yards-most of it coming on just a couple of breakdowns. For Schwartz, the message is simple: December football leaves no room for lapses.
“You can’t let your guard down,” Schwartz said, drawing a boxing analogy that hits home. “You could be winning on points, but one knockout punch changes everything.”
That’s exactly what happened against Tennessee-Cleveland played solid defense for most of the game, but a couple of explosive plays flipped the script. Schwartz stressed the importance of consistency, especially with the cold-weather grind of December football setting in. Run defense becomes paramount, and every snap matters.
Looking ahead to Chicago, Schwartz is preparing for a different kind of challenge in rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. While Williams is completing just 57.8% of his passes, Schwartz sees that number as misleading.
“They’re pushing the ball downfield a lot,” he explained. “These are lower-percentage throws by nature-deep shots, scrambles, play-action.
It’s not about dinking and dunking. It’s about big plays.”
In other words, Williams may not be padding his stats with easy completions, but the Bears’ offense is built to strike fast and stretch the field. The Browns’ secondary will need to stay disciplined, and the front seven has to keep Williams from extending plays with his legs.
Offensive Development: Fannin Jr. and Sanders Stepping Up
On the offensive side, tight end Harold Fannin Jr. continues to be one of the brightest surprises of the season. He leads the team in both receptions and receiving yards-a rare feat for a rookie tight end-and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees isn’t shocked by the production.
“From the day he got here, he’s just been a football player,” Rees said. “He doesn’t play like a rookie. He makes plays, he’s reliable, and he’s only going to keep getting better.”
Fannin’s chemistry with quarterback Shedeur Sanders has been building, and it showed last week when Sanders threw for four touchdowns and crossed the 300-yard mark for the first time in his NFL career. Rees pointed to Sanders’ improved pocket awareness as a key factor.
“He did a really nice job stepping up in the pocket,” Rees said. “Whether it was hitting Harold on the move in the two-minute drill or finding Jerry Jeudy over the middle, those are signs of growth.”
Sanders’ ability to manipulate the pocket-climbing when pressure comes instead of bailing out-was a big step forward. It’s the kind of progress that gives this offense a more dynamic edge heading into the final stretch of the season.
Special Teams: Fixing the Fundamentals
Special teams, however, continue to be a sore spot. A blocked punt in the fourth quarter against Tennessee turned into a back-breaking field goal, and coordinator Bubba Ventrone didn’t sugarcoat it.
“Mishap on the punt-miscommunication. That’s inexcusable,” Ventrone said. “We’ve got to get that fixed.”
With another cold-weather game looming-Sunday’s forecast in Chicago calls for 13 degrees and 20 mph winds-Ventrone knows the kicking game could be unpredictable. But for now, the plan is to wait and see how conditions feel during warmups.
“When it’s that cold, the ball feels different,” he said. “It’s harder to grip, sometimes slicker. We’ll evaluate it pregame and adjust our approach from there.”
What’s at Stake
For the Browns, this game is more than just a bounce-back opportunity. It’s a chance to show they can clean up the details-tighten up the run defense, build on offensive momentum, and stop giving away points on special teams. Chicago, meanwhile, will be playing with urgency after falling from the NFC’s top seed all the way to seventh.
Both teams have something to prove. For Cleveland, the challenge is clear: don’t let one or two plays define the game. In December, every snap counts.