Chicago Bears at Buffalo Bills: Week 9 game prediction

The Chicago Bears at Buffalo Bills game won’t exactly be the must-see TV of week 9, but it presents a critical moment for both.

Buffalo is clinging to their last vestiges of a season. At 2-6 they can’t afford another loss without basically waving goodbye to their chances of getting back to the playoffs. Chicago is aiming to finish the first half of their season with a winning record for the first time since 2013, while also clinging to first place in the NFC North.

The Bills have home field and a well-coached defense. The Bears are healthier with a greater sense of urgency and confidence. These sorts of games can be difficult to predict. So let’s break it down and see where things stand.

Storylines:

Buffalo’s crazy QB carousel – The Bills have a long, rough history of problems at quarterback ever since Jim Kelly retired. It’s been a mix of injuries, poor personnel decisions and just plain bad play that has led to the state of things. Now here they are. Josh Allen is out. Derek Anderson is out. Nathan Peterman is the last man standing with 9 picks in less than 90 passes.

Rolling the dice on Mack – Chicago gambled last week on shutting down their star pass rusher Khalil Mack to help his injured ankle heal, believing the defense could get on fine without him. It worked as they allowed just 10 points vs. the Jets. Now rumors are they could double down again in Buffalo, hoping to get him 100% for the slew of divisional games on the horizon.

Injuries:

Tremaine Edmunds (concussion) – The rookie middle linebacker has had a great start to the season for the Bills and becoming a huge part of their defensive success. Unfortunately, he was downgraded to out after failing to show adequate signs of progress from his concussion.

Allen Robinson (groin) – Mitch Trubisky made due last wee without Robinson, throwing for two touchdowns and 220 yards. Still, it would be nice to have one of his favorite targets back. Robinson remains questionable and it’s possible the Bears may keep him sidelined like Mack too.

Key matchups:

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Anthony Miller vs. Taron Johnson – A battle of two talented and productive rookies. Johnson has become quite the revelation for Buffalo at the slot corner position with QBs having just a 77.4 rating when targeting him. He’ll have his hands full with Miller, who has emerged into a prime target with 5 catches and a TD over the past two weeks.

LeSean McCoy vs. Danny Trevathan – Buffalo has to know that if they put the game in the hands of Peterman, they’re in trouble. They have to try to establish the run. McCoy is still good and dangerous if not taken seriously. Trevathan and the Bears run defense though suffocated the Jets last week, allowing just 57 yards on 24 carries.

X-factors:

Jerry Hughes – The 30-year old pass rusher has been dangerous as ever through the first half of the season. He was a primary catalyst of the Bills’ major upset of the Vikings back in September and can easily take over a football game if not accounted for.

Tarik Cohen – When they compared him to Darren Sproles, it was not a joke. Cohen has become a nightmare for defenses. He’s topped 100 yards from scrimmage in three of the past four games and scored four touchdowns along the way. The loss of Edmunds can loom large because of him.

Prediction: Bears win 23-13

The Bears have a bad habit of playing down to their competition at times. The price of being a young team that is still searching for a killer instinct. Combine that with being on the road and it’s likely this game will be close for at least a half. However, inevitably the issues at QB will haunt the Bills, allowing Chicago to distance themselves late in the game for a comfortable 10-point victory.

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