Bears vs Seahawks Preview: Inactives, Caleb Williams’ development and a shot at the wrong kind of history.

For the last time this season, the Chicago Bears will take to Soldier Field with a bit of dubious history on the line.

The Bears (4-11) are losers of nine straight and will take on a Seattle Seahawks squad (8-7) who’s playoff hopes dangle in the balance.

At the top of Chicago’s list of priorities sits the continued development of rookie quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams, but they would also like to end their losing streak, which is the second-longest in franchise history and one game behind their worst losing streak of all-time; a 10-game string of defeats suffered by the 2022 Bears.

Williams is 568 yards away from breaking Chicago’s franchise record for passing yards in a single season held by Erik Kramer, who threw for 3,838 yards and 29 TD passes during the 1995 NFL season.

The former Heisman Trophy-winner at USC is also amid an all-time stretch of passes without throwing an interception. Williams has attempted 326 consecutive pass attempts without throwing a pick, which includes nine consecutive games with at least 20 pass attempts and no interceptions.

Against the Seahawks, he can move into the all-time top-five for most consecutive pass attempts without an interception in a season and can become the third quarterback in NFL history with 10 consecutive games with at least 20 pass attempts and no interceptions. The other two QB’s are Tom Brady (10 consecutive games in 2010 with New England) and Derek Carr (10 consecutive games in 2018 with the Oakland Raiders).

Here is a table of the top-five longest streaks without an interception in a single season in NFL history:

“I think he’s done a solid job. I think that’s hard. There’s a lot about this league that’s hard,” Interim Offensive Coordinator Chris Beatty said. “It’s kind of a theme every week because there’s so much to learn and he’s learning every week. You can see that. You can hear it talking to him. He’s gotten better every week.

“There’s still a lot of growth to be made, but I do think he’s eager to learn and learning how to learn — that’s a lot of it too. That’s what people sometimes understate when you’re talking about the learning curve for younger quarterbacks.”

Williams already owns the NFL rookie record for most consecutive pass attempts without throwing an interception.

On the other side of the field, Seattle needs to win and hope the Arizona Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Rams Saturday night to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. The Rams clinch a playoff spot with a win plus a Seahawks loss or tie against the Bears, or a tie with a Seattle loss.

Los Angeles can also clinch a playoff berth with a win and a strength of schedule tiebreaker with the Seahawks, which boils down to whether the Cleveland Browns can win one more game against either the Miami Dolphins or Baltimore Ravens over the final two weeks of the regular season.

Inactives

Bears: LB Noah Sewell, DL Zacch Pickens, OG Teven Jenkins, RB Travis Homer, DB Elijah Hicks, DB Tarvarius Moore

Seahawks: CB Nehemiah Pritchett, TE Brady Russell, LB Patrick O’Connell, OT Michael Jerrell, WR Cody White, QB Jaren Hall*

Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III was also placed on injured reserve Thursday, with Seattle signing fellow running back George Holani off the practice squad to fill Walker’s roster spot.

*Hall will still serve as the Seahawks’ emergency third quarterback.

Closing In on a Record

Brock Bowers is closing in on the record held by Mike Ditka, a legendary tight end and coach who played for the Bears from 1962 to 1969 and coached the team from 1968 to 1972. Bowers is currently 72 yards away from breaking Ditka’s record of 1,076 receiving yards in a season.

A Shot at the Wrong Kind of History

For the second time this season, the Bears have a chance to make history for all the wrong reasons. If they lose to the Seahawks, they will tie the 1962 Bears for the worst single-season record in franchise history, a mark that has stood for 61 years.

Conclusion

The Bears have a chance to make history, but not the kind they want. They can make a claim for the second-longest losing streak in franchise history, but they would rather end their current nine-game skid and make a push for the postseason.

FAQs

* What is the current longest losing streak in Chicago Bears history?
The longest losing streak in Chicago Bears history is 10 games, set in 2022.
* Who holds the franchise record for passing yards in a single season?
Erik Kramer holds the franchise record for passing yards in a single season with 3,838 yards in 1995.
* Who is the current holder of the NFL rookie record for most consecutive pass attempts without throwing an interception?
Caleb Williams holds the current record with 326 consecutive pass attempts without throwing an interception.