LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) — Back in September during the most difficult days of a challenging season, Bears quarterback Justin Fields found hope in a division rival.
Fields pointed to what the Lions accomplished in 2022, when they started 1-6 before winning eight of their final 10 games to finish 9-8. The Lions capped their season with a thrilling win over the Packers at Lambeau Field in Week 18, a result that kept Green Bay out of the playoffs.
A parallel can now be drawn to the Bears (7-9), who have won seven of their past 12 games after an ugly 0-4 start and head to Lambeau Field on Sunday looking to keep the rival Packers (8-8) from reaching the playoffs. Beyond playing for pride, the Bears also are looking to set a foundation for their future, just as the Lions used their strong 2022 finish to spark their run to the NFC North crown this season.
"We've improved tremendously in all phases," Fields said Wednesday at Halas Hall. "I think that's players and coaches. We've grown a lot as a team. Our chemistry has grown with each other. Excited to go out there at 3:25 and ball out."
The Lions started 4-20 under the watch of head coach Dan Campbell before embarking on their remarkable turnaround. Since Nov. 6, 2022, the Lions are 19-7, including 11-5 en route to a division title this season. After starting 3-18 in head coach Matt Eberflus' tenure in Chicago, the Bears want to replicate a similar turnaround as the Lions.
The 24-year-old Fields noted that he no longer looks to the Lions' example like he did during the early part of this season, when the Bears were mired in adversity. Eberflus has looked at examples of turnarounds as well, though he declined to draw comparisons himself. Whatever the perspective is, this Chicago team is heading north to Green Bay with the intention of making a statement of progress against the rival Packers.
"We're going to keep it about us," Eberflus said. "There's always that factor of an important game for them, for sure, and an important game for us, for sure. We're going to leave it at that. It's a rival, and we're excited about going up there and playing some football."
While some teams around the NFL are resting starters in games that don't carry meaning for them in the playoff race, the Bears will play their key players Sunday.
After all, the game still means a great deal to Eberflus as well as the entire organization. While the Bears' improvement reflects well on Eberflus, until the Bears put their public support behind him and announce he'll be retained for the 2024 season, his future remains uncertain.
The Bears will have ample resources at their disposal at this offseason, including the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Before the big decisions must be made, they hope to add one more victory under their belt.
"It's an exciting time to be a Chicago Bear, and to be a Chicago Bears fan," Eberflus said. "There's a lot of bright things that are coming ahead of us in the future."
The Bears have lost nine straight games to the Packers, with their last win against them coming in a 24-17 victory at Soldier Field on Dec. 16, 2018, a game that clinched the NFC North crown for Chicago. That was in Matt Nagy's first of four seasons as head coach, and just three players remain on the Bears roster from that day.
Games against the Packers are always personal for the Bears. In recent years, they've been a reminder of the gap between the franchises, though Chicago is now looking up at a different division rival at the top of the NFC North.
Like for the Lions a year ago, a win for the Bears against the Packers in their season finale could be a springboard for their future.
"It would mean a lot to the team, the fans, the city," Fields said. "I think it would be great. We know Green Bay is playing for a lot at stake. They're playing for a playoff spot right now. So, I just think with all that on the table, it would be a great feeling to end the season with a win at Lambeau."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
