Luke Getsy must conquer himself for Bears to beat Lions in Week 14

For better or worse, the Chicago Bears are back in action this week against the Detroit Lions. The realist in me wants this unimpressive season to just come to an end. My optimistic side says, “Go out and win the final five and sneak into a wild card slot.”

And while the latter may be highly unlikely, it’s not completely impossible. The Bears have a five-game stretch that is certainly winnable, and it all begins at Soldier Field this Sunday against division foes, the NFC North-leading Lions.

Can Chicago pull off an upset win and keep their ever-so-slim playoff hopes alive?

It’ll come down to one critical … matchup.

Week 14 Matchup to Watch: Luke Getsy vs. Himself

Yep. The matchup that could decide the Chicago Bears’ fate in Week 14 won’t take place between the white lines. Instead, it’ll be outside of them … and include just one person: offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. More specifically, it’ll be Luke Getsy against himself in the fourth quarter. He’s played a scared brand of football late in winnable games, and that must change on Sunday for Chicago to earn a victory.

If Getsy would just call the final 25% of games the way he calls the first 75%, the Bears could be sitting at .500 with a 6-6 record and in the playoff conversation. It’s happened multiple times throughout the season, but the most damning of them all was against the Lions just two weeks ago. Getsy’s conservative playcalling kept giving the ball back to Lions QB Jared Goff, and ultimately cost the Bears the win.

I’ve long said the Lions aren’t an elite team, and I still stand by that. But when it comes to Luke Getsy vs. Dan Campbell and who’s better at closing games, Campbell wins by a mile.

A long mile.

Two long miles.

Week 14 could easily be the turning point for the Chicago Bears. Four quarters of strong, consistent play and play-calling could (maybe) save jobs. A run at a playoff spot spurred by a winning streak could light the fire that has been long absent from this team. And while a 9-8 finish is probably out of reach, stranger things have happened.

All of this starts with Getsy and his battle with his playbook, especially in the fourth quarter. If the Chicago Bears want any chance to remain relevant for the remainder of the season, they must beat the Detroit Lions on Sunday, something they should have already checked off in 2023.