The Chicago Bears host the Cleveland Browns in a lopsided AFC North vs. NFC North matchup on Sunday, December 14, 2025, as the Bears aim to solidify their NFC North lead and playoff positioning while the Browns play out the string amid a dismal season. This Week 15 tilt features rookie QB Shedeur Sanders making his fifth start for Cleveland against Bears signal-caller Caleb Williams in a battle of first-round picks (Sanders No. 1 overall, Williams No. 1 in 2024). Chicago’s high-powered offense (25.7 PPG, 8th in NFL) faces a Browns defense that’s been a bright spot (272.8 YPG allowed, 2nd-best), but frigid conditions could neutralize both sides’ explosiveness. The Bears seek a bounce-back after a rivalry loss, while Cleveland chases a spoiler win to build momentum for 2026.
Kickoff: 1:00 PM ET (12:00 PM CT).
Broadcast: FOX: Kevin Kugler, Daryl Johnston, Allison Williams (field reporter)
Streaming on NFL+ and YouTube TV.
Pregame coverage begins at 12:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 1.
Venue Location: Soldier Field, 1410 S. Museum Campus Drive, Chicago, IL 60605 (41°51’45″N 87°36’55″W). This historic 61,500-seat lakeside stadium along Lake Michigan offers iconic views but brutal winter exposure. Accessible via Chicago’s CTA (Museum Campus/11th St. station, 5-min walk) or parking at nearby lots ($30-50). Hotels like the Hilton Chicago (0.5-mile walk) provide game-day shuttles; tickets via Ticketmaster start at $85 (upper deck).
Weather Updates
An arctic blast grips the Midwest, making this one of the coldest Bears home games in franchise history (potentially the 11th at Soldier Field below 10°F). Expect game-time temps of 7-11°F with a high near 10°F and brisk northwest winds at 13-14 mph (gusts to 17 mph), yielding wind chills of -5°F to -15°F. Mostly sunny skies (19% cloud cover) and low precipitation chance (3-6%), but humidity at 76% could amplify the chill. Impacts: Favor run games and defenses; passing efficiency drops ~15% in sub-20°F conditions per NFL stats. Dress in layers—Bears fans’ “cold weather record” is 6-5 in games below 10°F.
Injury Report
Both teams enter banged up, but Cleveland’s list is a bloodbath (16 players, OL-heavy), potentially forcing patchwork lines against Chicago’s pass rush. Updates as of Thursday, December 11 (full reports via NFL.com).
Cleveland Browns:
Out/DNP: OL Joel Bitonio (knee/back), OL Jack Conklin (concussion), TE David Njoku (knee), RB Dylan Sampson (calf/hand), S Grant Delpit (illness/groin), DT Mason Graham (rib), DL Adin Huntington (quad).
Questionable/Limited: QB Shedeur Sanders (Achilles—limited, but expected to start), CB Denzel Ward (calf—DNP), WR Cedric Tillman (concussion—DNP), WR Malachi Corley (concussion—limited), S Rayshawn Jenkins (glute—limited), LB Carson Schwesinger (ankle—limited), TE Brenden Bates (ankle—limited), CB Tyson Campbell (shoulder—limited).
Impact: OL vulnerabilities (Teller/Pocic out) expose Sanders to sacks; Njoku’s absence thins TE depth.
Chicago Bears:
Out/DNP: CB Kyler Gordon (groin), RB Travis Homer (ankle).
Questionable/Limited: WR Rome Odunze (foot stress fracture—limited, returned to practice), CB Tyrique Stevenson (hip—limited), WR Olamide Zaccheaus (hamstring—limited).
Impact: Secondary depth tested without Gordon; Odunze’s return boosts WR corps, but monitor for re-aggravation.
No major QB concerns; both teams practiced fully Thursday despite the cold snap.
Player Matchups
This cold-weather grinder hinges on trench warfare and opportunistic plays. Key battles:
QB Shedeur Sanders (CLE) vs. Bears Pass Rush (Montez Sweat/Matthew Judon): Sanders (58% comp., 2,908 yds, 19 TD/6 INT) dazzled last week (QB2 fantasy) but faces a Bears D allowing 198.4 pass yds/g (10th). Sweat (8 sacks) exploits CLE’s injured OL for pressure.
RB Quinshon Judkins (CLE) vs. Bears Front 7 (Gervon Dexter Sr./T.J. Edwards): Judkins (3.2 ypc last 8, TD-reliant) tests CHI’s 20th-ranked rush D (132.5 yds/g allowed). CLE ranks 27th in rush (95.6 ypg).
WR Keenan Allen/Jerry Jeudy (CLE) vs. CB Jaylon Johnson/Tyrique Stevenson (CHI): Allen (top target sans Njoku) vs. Johnson’s shutdown coverage (8 PD). Jeudy’s YAC vs. Stevenson’s hip-limited hips.
TE Harold Fannin Jr. (CLE) vs. S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (CHI): Fannin (81 yds last outing) mismatches in mismatches; CGJ’s blitzes (team-high) disrupt.
OT Ozzy Trapilo (CLE) vs. DE Myles Garrett (CLE’s own edge, but CHI’s): Wait—Garrett is CLE’s star (but injured? No); flip: CHI’s Darnell Wright vs. CLE’s Za’Darius Smith for edge protection.
Bears Offense Edge: RB D’Andre Swift/Kyle Monangai (152.6 team rush ypg, 2nd) vs. CLE’s stout but depleted front (107.7 rush yds/g allowed, 13th).
Team Records
| Team | Record | Division | Playoff Odds | Key Stats |
| Browns | 3-10 (.231) | 4th AFC North | <1% | 17.2 PPG (29th), 23.2 OPP PPG (17th), 269.8 TOT YPG (31st) |
| Bears | 9-4 (.692) | 2nd NFC North | 85% | 25.7 PPG (8th), 25.8 OPP PPG (25th), 370.5 TOT YPG (5th) |
Browns: Last-place AFC North, eliminated. Bears: Chasing Lions/Packers, one-game lead.
Recent Form
Cleveland Browns (1-4 in last 5): Struggling offense meets resilient D, but losses mount. High turnover rate (1.5/g) kills drives.
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Notes |
| Dec 7 | vs TEN | L 29-31 | Sanders 412 pass yds, 4 TD; late collapse. |
| Nov 30 | vs SF | L 8-26 | Shutout 2H; OL sacked 5x. |
| Nov 23 | @ LV | W 24-10 | Judkins 2 rush TD; D holds firm. |
| Nov 16 | vs BAL | L 16-23 | Turnover woes; 14.3% 3rd-down conv. |
| Nov 9 | @ NYJ | L 20-27 | 37.5% 3rd-down; 278 TOT yds. |
Chicago Bears (4-1 in last 5): Dominant at home (4-1), but road slip-up vs. GB exposes secondary.
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Notes |
| Dec 7 | @ GB | L 21-28 | Williams 315 pass yds, 2 TD; D allows 337 yds. |
| Nov 28 | @ PHI | W 24-15 | Monangai 130 rush yds; 58.8% 3rd-down. |
| Nov 23 | vs PIT | W 31-28 | Williams 239 yds, 4 TD; 53.8% 3rd-down. |
| Nov 16 | @ MIN | W 19-17 | Grind-it-out win; 38.9% 3rd-down. |
| Nov 9 | vs NYG | W 24-20 | Williams 280 yds, 3 TD; 27.3% 3rd-down. |
Series History
The Browns hold a slight 11-7 edge all-time (19 meetings since 1951), but the Bears are 4-1 in the last 5 (including a 20-17 CLE win in 2023). Chicago’s biggest blowout: 41-31 (1986); CLE’s: 42-0 (1960). Average score: Bears 17.9-23.6 CLE. Recent trend: Low-scoring (U 7/10), with Bears winning 3/5 home games. No playoff meetings; Bears 6-2 SU in December vs. CLE.
Betting Trends
Under hits 60% action at 38.5 amid cold (Bears 7/13 U in Dec. games; CLE 5/5 U Week 15). Browns 0-6 ATS Dec., 1-13 SU road last 14; Bears 8-3 ATS last 11, 4/5 home vs. losers. Sharps (35% high-limits) on Bears -7 (EV +5%), but nibble Browns +7.5 for value (CLE 5-8 ATS season).
Predicted Score: Chicago Bears 24, Cleveland Browns 13
BROWNS NOTES:
• QB SHEDEUR SANDERS passed for 364 yards & had 4 TDs (3 pass, 1 rush) in Week 14. Is 1 of 2 rookie QBs ever (Joe Burrow – 2020) with 350+ pass yards, 3+ TD passes & rush TD in single game. Leads rookie QBs in pass yards (722) & TD passes (5) since Week 12. • RB QUINSHON JUDKINS had 84 scrimmage yards (58 rec., 26 rush) last week. Leads rookies in rush yards (784) & tied-1st in rush TDs (7) in 2025. Aims for his 3rd in row with 80+ scrimmage yards. • RB DYLAN SAMPSON (rookie) had 5 catches for 64 yards in Week 14. • WR JERRY JEUDY had 76 rec. yards & TD catch last week. Had 52 rec. yards in only career game vs. Chi. (10/1/23 w/ Den.). • TE HAROLD FANNIN set career-highs in receptions (8) & rec. yards (114) & had 4th TD catch of season last week. Ranks 2nd among rookies in receptions (59) in 2025. Aims for his 3rd in row with TD catch. • DE MYLES GARRETT had 3 TFL, 20th sack of season & PD in Week 14, 2ndmost sacks in 1st 13 games of season since 1982 (HOFer Reggie White – 21 in 1987). Needs 1 game with sack to surpass Von Miller (77) for 3rd-most games with sack in 1st 9 seasons since 1982. Aims for his 8th in row with sack. • DT MASON GRAHAM (rookie) had 3 tackles & TFL last week. Has TFL in 4 of his past 5. • LB CARSON SCHWESINGER led team with 12 tackles & had PD last week. Leads rookies in tackles (111) & TFL (10) in 2025. Has 10+ tackles in 4 consecutive games, tied-3rd longest streak by rookie since 2000. • LB DEVIN BUSH had 9 tackles, 2 PD & INT in Week 14. Aims for his 4th in row with 7+ tackles. • CB TYSON CAMPBELL had 3 tackles & PD in Week 14. Has PD in 4 of his past 5. Aims for his 9th in row on road with 5+ tackles. • S GRANT DELPIT had 5 tackles last week.
BEARS NOTES:
• QB CALEB WILLIAMS passed for 186 yards & 2 TDs in Week 14. Aims for 4th in row with TD pass. • RB D’ANDRE SWIFT had team-high 63 rush yards last week. Has 70+ scrimmage yards in 7 of his past 8 games. • RB KYLE MONANGAI (rookie) had 57 rush yards in Week 14. Has rush TD in 4 of his past 5 & aims for 4th in row at home with rush TD. Ranks tied-2nd among rookies with 5 rush TDs in 2025. • WR ROME ODUNZE aims for 100th career reception (98) & 1,500 career rec. yards (1,395). • WR LUTHER BURDEN led team with 67 rec. yards in Week 14 & aims for 3rd in row at home with 45+ rec. yards. • TE COLSTON LOVELAND (rookie) had TD catch last week & has TD rec. in 2 of his past 3. Ranks tied-5th among rookies with 4 TD receptions in 2025. Ranks 4th among rookie TEs with 435 rec. yards this season. • DL MONTEZ SWEAT had sack in Week 14 & has sack in 2 of his past 3. Aims for 6th in row at home with TFL. Ranks 2nd in NFC with 12.5 sacks this season. Had 7 tackles, 2.5 sacks & FF in last meeting. • LB D’MARCO JACKSON has 5+ tackles in 2 of his past 3. • DB KEVIN BYARD had 7 tackles last week & aims for 8th in row with 5+ tackles. Ranks 1st in NFL with 6 INTs this season. • DB NAHSHON WRIGHT ranks tied-2nd with 5 INTs this season & has INT in 2 of his past 3 at home. • DB JAQUAN BRISKER has 6+ tackles in 2 of his past 3 & has PD in 2 of his past 3. Aims for 3rd in row at home with PD. Had 5 tackles & PD in last meeting. • DB C.J. GARDNER-JOHNSON had team-high 10 tackles & had INT in Week 14. Ranks tied-8th with 19 INTs since 2019. • DB NICK MCCLOUD had season-high 2 PD in Week 14.
Game Odds
Cleveland Browns 38.5
Chicago Bears – 7.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Saturday, December 13, 2025
