Game preview
Bears @ Seahawks
Week 8 · 2026
The Bears are 5-2 on three quarterbacks, and the champions' defense waits in Seattle.
Three quarterbacks, 5-2, and 10 points against the two top-five defenses
StorylineChicago is 5-2 after starting three quarterbacks, Caleb Williams four times, Tyson Bagent twice and Case Keenum once, and since 1999 only two other teams won five of their first seven games that way: the 2010 Steelers and the 2016 Patriots, and both played in the Super Bowl. The catch is who Chicago has beaten: its five wins came against defenses ranked 14th or lower by EPA per play, scoring 34 points a game, and its two losses, 9-3 to Minnesota and 31-7 in Green Bay, came against the defenses ranked first and fourth. Monday night the Bears visit the defending champions, 4-3 Seattle, whose defense ranks second and held Kansas City to 3 points on Sunday, which leaves the question this start has not answered: can Chicago score on a defense like this one?
Teams that won at least five of their first seven games with three different starting quarterbacks, since 1999
| Season | Team | First 7 games | Starters | Final regular season | How it ended |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | PIT | 5-2 | Dennis Dixon, Charlie Batch, Ben Roethlisberger | 12-4 | Lost Super Bowl 31-25 to GB |
| 2016 | NE | 6-1 | Jimmy Garoppolo, Jacoby Brissett, Tom Brady | 14-2 | Won Super Bowl 34-28 over ATL |
| 2026 | CHI | 5-2 | Caleb Williams, Case Keenum, Tyson Bagent | In progress | At SEA, Week 8 |
Chicago in 2026, with each opponent's defensive rank (EPA per play allowed, through Week 7, of 32)
| Week | Opponent | Starter | Result | Opponent defense rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | at CAR | Williams | W 59-37 | 20 |
| 2 | vs MIN | Williams | L 3-9 | 1 |
| 3 | vs PHI | Keenum | W 27-7 | 28 |
| 4 | vs NYJ | Bagent | W 23-12 | 15 |
| 5 | at GB | Bagent | L 7-31 | 4 |
| 6 | at ATL | Williams | W 31-23 | 14 |
| 7 | vs NE | Williams | W 30-24 | 19 |
| 8 | at SEA | Monday | 2 |
Seattle's defense, EPA per play allowed (pass and run plays)
| Window | Plays | EPA per play | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Weeks 1 to 7 | 406 | -0.131 | 2 of 32 |
| 2026 Week 7 vs KC (KC scored 3) | 50 | -0.105 | 5 of 28 |
| 2025 regular season | 1061 | -0.116 | 2 of 32 |
Why it matters. A three-quarterback 5-2 start is rare enough that its only two precedents since 1999 both reached the Super Bowl, but Chicago's record has been built against the softer half of the league's defenses. Against Minnesota and Green Bay, the only top-five units it has seen, it scored 10 points in two games, one started by Williams and one by Bagent. Seattle's defense has ranked second in both 2025 and 2026, so Monday is the cleanest test yet of whether the start is real.
Chicago leads the league in rushing yards. Seattle's 100-yard wall is at 36
What to watchChicago has run for 1,080 yards, the most in the league, but 785 came in Weeks 1 to 4, when Kyle Monangai and D'Andre Swift shared the backfield and produced all three of Chicago's 100-yard games; the Week 5, 6 and 7 injury reports listed Monangai Out with a thumb injury, and the Week 8 practice report lists him as Did Not Participate In Practice. Over Weeks 5 to 7 Chicago has gained 3.49 yards per run play, 29th of 32, after 5.13 in Weeks 1 to 4 and 4.98 across 2025, and Swift carried 22 times for 78 yards against New England. Seattle has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 36 straight games, the longest active run in the league and tied for fifth since 2003, and it held Kenneth Walker III to 36 yards on 14 carries on Sunday. If Chicago's first-down runs are gaining 4 yards or more in the first quarter, the Bears can stay on schedule; if Williams is throwing on first down by the second quarter, Seattle's front has already won this matchup.
Longest runs without allowing a 100-yard rusher, since 2003 (playoffs included)
| Rank | Team | Games | From | Through | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NO | 55 | 2017 Wk 12 | 2020 Wk 13 | Ended |
| 2 | SF | 50 | 2021 Wk 9 | 2023 Wk 18 | Ended |
| 3 | BAL | 43 | 2006 Wk 15 | 2009 Wk 4 | Ended |
| 4 | MIN | 37 | 2007 Wk 11 | 2009 Wk 14 | Ended |
| 5 | MIA | 36 | 2023 Wk 2 | 2025 Wk 2 | Ended |
| 5 | PIT | 36 | 2007 Wk 16 | 2009 Wk 15 | Ended |
| 5 | SF | 36 | 2009 Wk 12 | 2011 Wk 15 | Ended |
| 5 | SEA | 36 | 2024 Wk 9 | 2026 Wk 7 | Active, longest in the league (next: JAX, 24) |
Chicago rushing by week, 2026
| Week | Opponent | Carries | Rush yards | Monangai |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | at CAR | 39 | 291 | 10 for 100 |
| 2 | vs MIN | 31 | 134 | 10 for 47 |
| 3 | vs PHI | 35 | 128 | 10 for 31 |
| 4 | vs NYJ | 54 | 232 | 30 for 146 |
| 5 | at GB | 24 | 81 | Listed Out (thumb) |
| 6 | at ATL | 33 | 98 | Listed Out (thumb) |
| 7 | vs NE | 30 | 116 | Listed Out (thumb) |
Chicago's run offense against Seattle's run defense (run plays, scrambles included)
| Unit | Window | Run plays | Yards per run | EPA per run | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHI offense | 2026 Weeks 1 to 4 | 154 | 5.13 | +0.038 | Not ranked |
| CHI offense | 2026 Weeks 5 to 7 | 85 | 3.49 (29th) | -0.114 | 20 of 32 |
| CHI offense | 2025 regular season | 496 | 4.98 | +0.079 | 4 of 32 |
| SEA defense | 2026 Weeks 1 to 7 | 175 | 3.61 | -0.124 | 3 of 32 |
| SEA defense | 2025 regular season | 411 | 3.82 | -0.145 | 1 of 32 |
Why it matters. Chicago's rushing lead is mostly a Weeks 1 to 4 number: with Monangai sharing carries it gained 5.13 yards per run, and without him it has gained 3.49, near the bottom of the league over the same three weeks. Seattle's run defense was first by EPA per carry in 2025 and is third now, and nobody has reached 100 yards against it since Week 8 of 2024. If the run stalls, Chicago leans on the passing game that has carried it since Williams took back the starting job in Week 6.
Chicago hit eight 20-yard passes Thursday. Seattle has allowed eight all year
What to watchCaleb Williams went 22 of 33 for 308 yards and two touchdowns against New England, and eight of Chicago's completions went for 20 yards or more, tied for the most by any team in a 2026 game, with Luther Burden III catching four passes for 130 yards. Chicago has 27 such completions, 3.86 a game and tied for third, 16 of them from Williams, and in his four starts Chicago has averaged plus 0.237 EPA per dropback against minus 0.062 in the three started by Keenum and Bagent. Seattle's pass defense has allowed eight completions of 20 yards or more in seven games, the fewest per game in the league, with none in four games including Sunday against Kansas City, and the last time Williams faced it, in Week 17 of 2024, he completed 16 of 28 for 122 yards and was sacked seven times in a 6-3 loss. If Burden or Rome Odunze catches a pass of 20 yards in the first half, Seattle has to defend the whole field; if Chicago reaches halftime without one, the Bears are playing on Seattle's terms.
Completions of 20 yards or more per game, 2026 Weeks 1 to 7
| Unit | Games | Completions of 20 plus | Per game | Rank of 32 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHI offense | 7 | 27 | 3.86 | 3 (tied, most first) |
| SEA defense | 7 | 8 | 1.14 | 1 (fewest first) |
| CHI defense | 7 | 21 | 3.00 | 18 (fewest first) |
| SEA offense | 7 | 22 | 3.14 | 10 (most first) |
Most completions of 20 yards or more by one team in a 2026 game
| Game | Team | Completions of 20 plus |
|---|---|---|
| Week 4, DAL at HOU | HOU | 8 |
| Week 7, NE at CHI | CHI | 8 |
| Week 1, GB at MIN | GB | 7 |
Chicago's passing by starter, 2026
| Starter | Games | Dropbacks | EPA per dropback | Sacks | Completions of 20 plus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caleb Williams | 4 | 145 | +0.237 | 13 | 16 (his passes) |
| Keenum or Bagent | 3 | 113 | -0.062 | 5 | 11 (their passes) |
Williams's last game against Seattle, 2024 Week 17 (SEA 6, CHI 3)
| Passer | Completions | Attempts | Yards | TD | INT | Sacked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caleb Williams, CHI | 16 | 28 | 122 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Geno Smith, SEA | 17 | 23 | 160 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Why it matters. Chicago's offense with Williams lives on chunk throws: Burden and Odunze have 11 completions of 20 yards each, and the Patriots game produced eight in one night. Seattle's defense takes exactly that away better than anyone, which is why a run game that has slowed since Week 4 matters so much here. Williams has started the last two games, both strong, and has one prior look at this defense, which went badly.
Only Tyreek Hill had more yards through seven games. Chicago draws Smith-Njigba
What to watchSeattle's run game ranks 29th of 32 by EPA per carry, so its offense runs through Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 867 receiving yards and eight touchdown catches, both the league lead, half of Seattle's receiving yards and eight of its 12 receiving touchdowns. His 867 through seven team games are the second most by any player since 2003, behind Tyreek Hill's 902 in 2023, and he caught 9 of 12 targets for 150 yards against Kansas City. Chicago's pass defense ranks 15th at plus 0.021 EPA per dropback, after 18th in 2025, and it allowed six completions of 20 yards or more in the loss at Green Bay, the most it has allowed in a game this season. If Smith-Njigba has two catches on Seattle's first two possessions, Chicago's coverage plan is losing; if the first quarter ends without one, the Bears have taken away half of Seattle's passing game.
Most receiving yards through seven team games, since 2003
| Rank | Season | Team | Player | Catches | Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023 | MIA | Tyreek Hill | 53 | 902 | 7 |
| 2 | 2026 | SEA | Jaxon Smith-Njigba | 58 | 867 | 8 |
| 3 | 2016 | ATL | Julio Jones | 40 | 830 | 4 |
| 4 | 2011 | NE | Wes Welker | 57 | 824 | 6 |
| 5 | 2018 | MIN | Adam Thielen | 67 | 822 | 5 |
| 6 | 2021 | SF | Deebo Samuel Sr. | 44 | 819 | 4 |
| 6 | 2025 | SEA | Jaxon Smith-Njigba | 50 | 819 | 4 |
Jaxon Smith-Njigba by game, 2026
| Week | Opponent | Targets | Catches | Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | vs NE | 11 | 8 | 122 | 1 |
| 2 | at ARI | 11 | 9 | 155 | 3 |
| 3 | at WAS | 14 | 10 | 128 | 2 |
| 4 | vs LAC | 6 | 5 | 76 | 0 |
| 5 | vs SF | 8 | 5 | 102 | 1 |
| 6 | at DEN | 16 | 12 | 134 | 0 |
| 7 | vs KC | 12 | 9 | 150 | 1 |
Seattle's passing and run game against Chicago's pass defense
| Unit | Window | EPA | Rank of 32 |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEA passing, per dropback | 2026 Weeks 1 to 7 | +0.057 | 17 |
| SEA passing, per dropback | 2025 regular season | +0.112 | 8 |
| SEA running, per carry | 2026 Weeks 1 to 7 | -0.155 | 29 |
| CHI pass defense, per dropback | 2026 Weeks 1 to 7 | +0.021 | 15 |
| CHI pass defense, per dropback | 2025 regular season | +0.031 | 18 |
Why it matters. Seattle's offense is narrow: with the run game near the bottom of the league, Smith-Njigba carries half of its receiving output and two thirds of its receiving touchdowns. Chicago's pass defense has been average in both 2025 and 2026, so this is the one collision where Seattle's strength meets a middle-of-the-pack unit rather than a top one. How Chicago handles him decides how many possessions Williams gets.
Darnold was sacked 10 times in two games, then none. Chicago's rush is third
What to watchSeattle's protection has swung by the week: six sacks allowed on 124 dropbacks in Weeks 1 to 4, five against San Francisco and five in Denver, then none on 28 dropbacks against Kansas City, for 16 on 241, 18th of 32. Chicago's rush has 19 sacks on 215 dropbacks, 8.8 percent and third in the league, after 6.1 percent and 22nd in 2025, and nine of the 19 came on third down, with Kyler Gordon and Austin Booker at four each. It shows in the down that ends drives: Chicago allows a first down on 26.1 percent of third-down plays, the best rate in the league after 40.8 percent and 19th in 2025, while Seattle converts 40.0 percent, 17th. If Chicago sacks Sam Darnold on a third down in the first half, Weeks 5 and 6 are repeating; if he is clean through Seattle's first two possessions, the Kansas City game is the one on the field.
Sacks by week, 2026
| Week | Seattle offense allowed | Chicago defense made |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 vs NE, 26 dropbacks | 2 at CAR, 40 dropbacks |
| 2 | 1 at ARI, 27 | 3 vs MIN, 23 |
| 3 | 0 at WAS, 46 | 2 vs PHI, 28 |
| 4 | 3 vs LAC, 25 | 3 vs NYJ, 18 |
| 5 | 5 vs SF, 34 | 2 at GB, 34 |
| 6 | 5 at DEN, 55 | 5 at ATL, 40 |
| 7 | 0 vs KC, 28 | 2 vs NE, 32 |
Sack rate and third downs, both units
| Unit | 2026 Weeks 1 to 7 | Rank of 32 | 2025 regular season | 2025 rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHI defense, sacks made | 19 on 215, 8.8% | 3 | 35 on 570, 6.1% | 22 |
| SEA offense, sacks allowed | 16 on 241, 6.6% | 18 (fewest first) | 27 on 506, 5.3% | 10 |
| CHI defense, third-down conversions allowed | 18 of 69, 26.1% | 1 | 78 of 191, 40.8% | 19 |
| SEA offense, third-down conversions | 36 of 90, 40.0% | 17 | 86 of 202, 42.6% | 10 |
Why it matters. Chicago's defense ranks 16th by EPA per play overall, but it has been the league's best at ending drives on third down, and its sack rate jumped from 22nd to third. Seattle's line gave up 10 sacks across Weeks 5 and 6 and none against Kansas City, so which two-week sample carries into Monday decides how often Darnold gets to Smith-Njigba on the downs that matter. Both 2026 numbers are seven games set beside a full season.
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