NFL Experts still view Bears as major underdogs in Week 14 vs. Lions

Despite the Chicago Bears’ improved play as of late and the Detroit Lions’ sudden regression, NFL experts are nearly unanimous in who they think will win Week 14’s NFC North showdown.

It’s the Lions. In fact, 93% of experts picked Detroit to win, which is surprising considering how these two teams played in their first matchup in Week 11.

You remember the one, it was an epic collapse by Matt Eberflus and the Bears, surrendering a 12-point lead with just over four minutes left to play.

It was a Bears loss that still pains the fan base. A revenge win would be sweet, but apparently, it’s still a long shot.

Justin Fields has a lot to prove in Week 14

What’s not a long shot at this point is the odds the Chicago Bears will end the 2023 season with the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The New England Patriots victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14’s Thursday Night Football moves the Carolina Panthers one step closer to securing the No. 1 pick, which the Bears have the rights to thanks to last year’s trade that sent Chicago’s first-rounder (No. 1 overall) to the Panthers.

Why is that relevant for this week’s Bears-Lions matchup? See: Fields, Justin.

With the Panthers taking that massive step toward being on the clock in the 2024 draft, the Bears inched closer to having their choice of either Caleb Williams or Drake Maye, two quarterback prospects who will likely enter the NFL with a higher draft grade than Fields had. If the Bears don’t see enough from Fields to crown him the organization’s quarterback of the future, his time in Chicago will be over when the final whistle blows in Week 18.

Fields is a proud dude. He doesn’t give off the vibes that he has something to prove, but you know he has something to prove, and that’s bad news for a Lions team that, but for that aforementioned collapse, would’ve fallen victim to him in Week 11.

Now that the Bears’ chances of landing Caleb Williams are becoming more reality than fantasy, it’s appropriate for the front office to dig deep into whether the USC standout offers the franchise a better chance at sustained success than Fields. Despite nearing the end of his third season, Fields’ evaluation remains incomplete, making the next five games the most critical stretch of his career.

I wouldn’t bet against Justin Fields, and I certainly wouldn’t bet against the Chicago Bears beating the Lions this week. It doesn’t matter what side of the Bears quarterback debate you’re on, there’s no denying that Fields is a gamer.

It could be a long day for the Lions at Soldier Field this weekend.