The Seahawks and Bears meet in Week 8 on Monday Night Football, and the matchup has the feel of something that could show up again later in the season. Seattle comes in at 4-3 under defensive-minded head coach Mike Macdonald, while Chicago is 5-2 with offensive-minded Ben Johnson steering the ship.
Seattle may need this one a little more. The Seahawks are already two games behind the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West, and this game is in Lumen Field, where they need to cash in on home-field advantage while they have it. If these teams meet again in the playoffs, that edge might not be there.
The Seahawks will be without left tackle Charles Cross, wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, and running back Velus Jones Jr. when they release their inactives an hour and a half before kickoff. Seattle will also be without edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu, who is listed as doubtful with an ankle injury. That likely keeps him out, and it would be a major hit because he brings impact against both the run and the pass.
Cross is expected to miss some time, though he has not been placed on injured reserve, which is at least a positive sign. Josh Jones should step in for the next couple of games.
Shaheed has not been consistently productive as a receiver, but his biggest value comes in the return game, where Tory Horton should handle those reps. The good news for Seattle is that Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price were not given injury designations on Friday and are expected to play.
Price still needs to be activated from injured reserve, but that does not have to happen until Monday.
Chicago’s injury list is shorter. The Bears will be without running back Kyle Monangai, who is dealing with thumb and toe injuries. Like Seattle, Chicago will reveal its inactives an hour and a half before kickoff.
Monangai is a useful RB2, but the Bears already lean on D'Andre Swift for the bulk of the work, so his absence should not drastically change their rushing attack. Chicago enters the game healthier than Seattle, though whether that matters in the final result is another question.
The broadcast itself could draw some attention, too. One of the more interesting side notes is whether Troy Aikman and Joe Buck can keep things smooth after their recent differences and avoid letting any tension seep into the telecast. They have been together for years, but contract and personnel issues have created some friction lately.
For fans in the Seattle area who want a different call, the Seahawks radio broadcast will air on Seattle Sports 710 AM and KIRO Newsradio 97.3 with Steve Raible, Dave Wyman, and Jen Mueller on the mic. The game can also be streamed with the ESPN app, and it will be available on the Seahawks mobile app.
On the field, the biggest question is how fast Seattle’s reshuffled offensive line can gel. The Seahawks are working with a new left guard, and the former starter is moving to the right side.
Quenton Nelson, whom Seattle recently traded for, is expected to fit in quickly, but Grey Zabel has never played the right side in the NFL, so there is at least some uncertainty there. Josh Jones is also filling in for Cross, which means Seattle still won’t have its preferred starting five intact.
The coaching matchup is just as compelling. Macdonald and Johnson bring two of the sharpest minds in the league, and Chicago has the kind of offense that can find a path no matter what the defense takes away. The chess match between adjustments and counterpunches could decide the night.
Sam Darnold is another key piece. Seattle’s defense is strong enough to keep the Bears from running away with it, but Chicago should still put points on the board.
Darnold and the offense will need to answer, and if the quarterback gives away possessions at the wrong time, that could swing the game Chicago’s way. The Bears’ secondary is a soft spot, and Darnold has to make that count.
If the Seahawks can’t offset mistakes through the run game, they could be in trouble.
Seattle’s offense may be entering its best stretch of the season with the revamped line and Charbonnet back in the mix, but this still looks like a group that should be better down the road. Charbonnet likely will not see a huge workload, and Cross remains out.
Even so, if Darnold protects the football, Seattle should be able to move it through the air. Jaxon Smith-Njigba has a chance to deliver a big night, and this one could come down to whether the Seahawks can simply outscore Chicago in what should be a Monday Night Football classic.
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Jonathan Taylor remains part of the story, too, even if Indianapolis is not actively trying to move him. The Colts are receiving calls on the running back, and the whole AFC South picture has been jolted by Tennessees decision to deal defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons after a significant draft-capital offer helped speed up its rebuild. For Seattle, the immediate impact is obvious, but the larger ripple effect is that this trade may only be the first sign of a much bigger shakeup. [Read more 🡒]
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Byron Murphy II, Tory Horton, Julian Love and Sam Darnold are among the players worth watching for Seattle, especially with injuries and matchup dynamics shaping how the night could play out. The intrigue here is less about a single obvious star and more about whether the Seahawks can squeeze unexpected production from different parts of the roster when the stage gets bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Face A Jadarian Price Decision Bigger Than Just Monday Night
The Seahawks are getting healthier at the right time, with a primetime matchup against the Bears bringing the expected debut of left guard Quenton Nelson and the return of Zach Charbonnet from injury. Amid that shuffle, rookie running back Jadarian Price has quietly become part of the conversation too, as Seattle weighs whether to activate him from injured reserve after a chest injury.
Prices situation is about more than one game, because the Seahawks are also sorting through what his place on the roster might look like once everyone is available. There has been speculation around whether he could factor into a larger backfield move, especially with Seattle linked to the idea of adding Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, which makes this week feel like a decision point rather than just a return from IR. [Read more 🡒]