It’s that time of year when the schedule heats up in the NFL and the most important games to make the postseason happen. On Sunday, December 14, Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears have a critical game against the Cleveland Browns at home, and even though the Browns have a 3-10 record and the Bears have a 9-4 record, those numbers don’t tell the entire story.
The Browns have been having a rough season, but their defense is one of the strongest in the league. So, Johnson and the Bears will have to make magic on the field to protect quarterback Caleb Williams and make sure he has the time to make good decisions and accurate throws.
Now, ahead of the game, the NFL has announced that one Chicago Bears player is in hot water with the league for actions taking during the Bears’ 28-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, December 7. It’s not the kind of trouble that will make it so he can’t play in Sunday’s game against the Browns, which is good news, but one could say he’s still on Santa’s naughty list this season.
Chicago Bears Favorite Punished by the NFL
Each week during the season, the NFL hands out its regular roster of punishments for players for actions taken during the previous week’s games. On their official website, the NFL states that when it comes to these punishments, these actions are “to protect players from unnecessary risk and preserve competitive balance and game integrity.” Plus, “the NFL and NFL Players Association have agreed on a set of game-related rules violations that may result in accountability measures.”
One Chicago Bears favorite was on the tally: Luther Burden III. The NFL fined him $11,075 for “unnecessary roughness” for Burden’s actions at the 4:11 mark in the second quarter of the team’s game against the Packers.
No Packers players were punished by the NFL for their actions during the showdown, and no other Bears players were hit with fines, either.
The good news is that all of the funds raised from these fines will go to the Professional Athletes Foundation to “support legends in need and the NFL Foundation to further support the health, safety and wellness of athletes across all levels, including youth football and the communities that support the game.”
Chicago Bears and Their Road to the Postseason
Up ahead, if the Chicago Bears pull off a win over the Browns on Sunday, they’ll jump from having a 62% chance of making the playoffs to a 69% shot, according to research from the NFL. If they fall, that drops to 42%. The Browns are already out of the playoffs.
Following the Bears’ loss to the Packers, Johnson talked about Williams and his performance during the game, as well as the entire team and what they have to do to step it up.
“We’re not quite there yet. We’re working diligently every day,” he said in a press conference. “I’ve said it every week that you see growth in so many other areas that I think when that last little bit comes along, we’re going to be really pleased with where we are.”
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