Will the Bears Bounce Back Against the Cardinals in Week Nine?
This past Sunday, the Bears went through absolute devastation after losing to the Commanders 15-18 on a last-second Hail Mary that sent them packing. Now all the Bears can do is lick their wounds and move on to their next matchup in Week Nine this Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. The Cardinals have won three of their last four games including this past Sunday when they battled back from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Dolphins 28-27. The Bears are going into this game as the underdog as they still remain winless on the road. On the other hand, the Cardinals have a chance to take first in the NFC West with each team at a .500 winning percentage or below.
This game is going to be quite the toss-up as the Bears try to get a win on the road and the Cardinals have a chance to take first in the NFC West. A game-winning field goal against the Dolphins has Kyler Murray and the Cardinals feeling good and can get over .500 for the first time this season. Because they beat the 49ers earlier in the season, it’s enough to earn them that spot at the top and now they have to hold on to it for the remainder of the 2024 season. The Bears desperately need this win before they enter a gauntlet of tough NFC North matchups in the second half of the season.
The Cardinals have won two straight games and if Murray plays like he did against the Dolphins, it’ll be three in a row for them. Before their game against the Commanders, the Bears’ defense ranked in the top 11 of the NFL in passing, rushing, scoring, sacks, and turnovers. Caleb Williams had three straight amazing performances heading into the Bears’ bye week but then posted a not-so-great performance against the Commanders in Week Eight. Luckily for him, he’s going up against another bad defense in Week Nine, so he needs to bounce back from the baffling performance last week. If the Bears get back to how they were in the three weeks before their bye and pick up the win over the Cardinals, they’ll be in a good position before the second half of the season.
