The Chicago Bears have one of the most porous defenses in the league this season, entering Week 15. However, head coach Ben Johnson and, more specifically, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s group also boasts the most takeaways.
They will look to keep up that trend against the Cleveland Browns and rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, in particular.
There is reason to believe the matchup can and will work out in the Bears’ favor.
‘Bold Prediction’ Bodes Well for Bears Against Browns
Bears Predicted to Force 3 Turnovers From Browns QB Shedeur Sanders
Sanders entered last season in the discussion for the No. 1 overall selection of the 2025 NFL Draft. He fell to the Browns in the fifth round with the 144th overall pick. Sanders sat until Cleveland traded Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel (No. 94 overall) got injured.
He has completed 52.4% of his passes for 769 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions in four games with three starts this season.
Sanders’ interception rate is the source of an encouraging bit of prognostication for the Bears.
“Bold prediction: Sanders will turn the ball over at least three times,” ESPN’s Seth Walder wrote on December 12. “The Bears’ defense is forcing turnovers on 19% of opponents’ drives, which is the best in the NFL by a mile, and Sanders has the worst QBR (19.9) among all QBs with at least 100 pass attempts.”
Sanders has thrown an interception in three of his four appearances and two of his three starts this season.
He has not thrown multiple interceptions in any game yet. The Bears have forced at least one turnover in six straight games and all but two this season. They have multiple takeaways in eight games this season.
Bears Need Turnovers
Chicago has snagged one or more interceptions in all but three games. They are 1-2 when they fail to do so. Week 14 snapped a streak for the Bears, who had multiple takeaways in three straight games. The Bears have not had multiple interceptions in a game since Week 11 against the Minnesota Vikings.
If the Bears are going to force Sanders into as many turnovers as Walder suggests, it could happen on strip sacks for Montez Sweat and whoever else gets home. The Bears must disrupt Sanders, especially considering the stakes.
“The Bears’ playoff chances rise to 68.8% with a win and fall to 44.4% with a loss,” ESPN’s research team wrote.
The Browns, who enter the contest at 3-10 on the season, are playing for pride. This is an opportunity for the Bears to prove they can bounce back from the kind of letdown they experienced in Week 14 against the Green Bay Packers. The Bears can also prove that they are at the stage of their process where they beat the teams that, on paper, they should.
