(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Chicago Bears (7-7) prepare to play the Kansas City Chiefs (10-4) on Sunday. Jeff Joniak filed these observations:
-If the Bears were the playoff team the Chiefs are for the sixth time under head coach Andy Reid, it would have been a blockbuster under the bright lights in the big city. It still can be.
-We will learn something about the Bears Sunday night. “I always say circumstances don’t make you, they reveal you,” said defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano. “You get tested in tough times like this. We signed up for 16 games. We are all professionals.”
-Two-time pro bowl safety Eddie Jackson is saying it is about “the brotherhood." He is right. A team is either all in or they are not. It means playing with integrity and character Sunday night on national television and in the finale at Minnesota. The resilience of the team must be stronger than ever against Kansas City.
-We are all evaluating every player as we peer into 2020, and that vision must be as close to 20/20 as it can get for Head Coach Matt Nagy and General Manager Ryan Pace.
-Akiem Hicks is planning to play, despite the complication of a left elbow that is not 100 percent operational. “One day you feel really good, the next day you feel kind of bad,” said Hicks. “It’s the trainer’s job to decide how much you work you put on it ... how much stress you put on it. We do a good job of that here.”
-His willingness to want to play reveals his love of the game and his love of the franchise. Hicks appreciates being a Bear. Always will.
-2018 MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes was showered with praise from defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano and the defensive players.
-“He’s rare,” said Pagano. “He’s elite. The arm talent is crazy. The throws that he makes on schedule are crazy. The off schedule ones are mind-boggling.”
-“He can throw the ball from any position,” added Hicks. “I’ve seen him throw the ball when he’s jumping. I’ve seen throw the ball when he’s getting ready to fall. He has an elite arm.”
-“He’s a threat,” said safety Eddie Jackson. “Downfield he can extend plays with his feet, look off passes. You just really got to be on top of the keys and play tight coverage.”
-It will be a pressure-packed night for Jackson, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, and the linebackers. They have to stop it from becoming a track meet.
-Mahomes has thrown 40-yard-plus passes to six different receivers.
-As much as Mahomes likes to throw it all over the field, it does create potential big play opportunities on the ball for the secondary.
-The underrated angle of this game in my opinion is the Kansas City defense. The unit is on a streak of four straight games with at least one interception, eight total. Over the last month, they are the top-scoring defense in the league at just over 11.0ppg. They are top ten in the league in the last month in defending the red zone, on third down, and forcing turnovers.
-Kansas City has a league-high six red zone takeaways, including four in goal-to-goal situations.
-The Bears have to get the run game revved up and keep Mahomes off the field.
-There is a good chance we will learn a lot about second year cornerback Kevin Toliver if he replaces banged-up Prince Amukamara at cornerback. Toliver is fast, just not as fast as those Kansas City receivers are. He must win with technique and prevent yards-after-the catch. Kansas City is number one in the league in that category.
-Nagy remains upbeat and optimistic about this team, despite the disappointment of playoff elimination. He also is quite clear about moving forward. “We didn’t make the playoffs and give ourselves a Super Bowl attempt. I’ll always be frustrated with that, and I’m going to hold everyone accountable, including myself.”