All Saints’ Day: Windy City Gridiron picks Bears-Saints

The Saints are without the best player they’ve ever had. Drew Brees, one of the best quarterbacks ever, hasn’t played since early September. He remains out for the foreseeable future. They’ve marched on through a daunting NFC, with Teddy Bridgewater, no less. An uninterrupted and purposeful stride continues into Soldier Field against a Bears’ team on the potential edge.

It certainly doesn’t help the Bears when the Saints literally and figuratively have God on their side.

You can only fight the divine so much. Eventually their all-knowing power finds a means to overcome their own flaws— especially in matters as important to the laws of nature and world at large as football.

A win here and Chicago sees its odds for a second straight postseason berth stay comfortably afloat. A defeat and seats under the head coach, quarterback, just about everyone involved, begin to light ablaze like a stove at a moderate temperature.

The Windy City Gridiron meeting of the minds picks Bears-Saints.

Robert Zeglinski: Saints 17, Bears 13

Picking the Bears to overcome the NFC’s second-most complete team would be a tacit admission I think Matt Nagy is a competent play-caller. I assuredly do not.

Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.: Bears 20, Saints 13

When it’s all said and done, we’re going to look back on the London game as a defensive anomaly. We’re also going to look back a bye week adjustments as what helped catapult the Bears back into playoff contention.

Bill Zimmerman: Bears 23, Saints 16

Am I a homer? Damn straight. Am I objective? Most of the time. Is this prediction from the homer side or the objective side of me? Ask me Sunday night. It won’t be easy but the Bears get a statement win on Sunday.

Jacob Infante: Saints 23, Bears 13

Teddy Bridgewater has been able to pick up wins against a handful of quality teams in Drew Brees’ absence. The Bears’ lack of momentum keeps them from victory.

Sam Householder: Saints 18, Bears 13

I want to pick the Bears and I think this is a winnable game, but the Bears under Nagy have been bad after extended breaks. I don’t see where the improvement is coming from.

Aaron Leming: Saints 20, Bears 16

I want to pick the Bears to win this game because it’s as close to a “must-win” as you can get this early in the season, but I have little faith that they will come out of their bye week ready to go.

WhiskeyRanger: Bears 13, Saints 10

The Drew Brees-less Saints’ offense isn’t a powerhouse with Teddy Bridgewater under center, and the Bears’ defense will have something to prove coming off an uneven performance in London.

Robert Schmitz: Bears 13, Saints 9

I don’t think Trubisky’s return will do much to help a Chicago offense that’s struggling to find its way. That said, I have less faith in the Saints’ ability to score against a Bears defense that’s allowed no more than 10 points at home this year. I’ll take the Bears in an ugly, low-scoring game.

Erik Duerrwaechter: Bears 24, Saints 13

The Raiders’ game is the eye-opening experience Nagy needed to fix his offense. With Trubisky back in the lineup, and a defense that’s looking to redeem itself, the Bears will stop the Saints.

Ken Mitchell: Bears 24, Saints 21

The Saints on the road are not nearly as good as the Saints at home, and Chicago’s defense has something to prove.

Patti Curl: Bears 52 Saints 51

With Akiem Hicks out, the Bears’ offense is going to have to pick up the slack.

Robert is hoping the Saints’ visit to Chicago doesn’t play out like a gritty Boondock Saints sequel of gratuitous violence. He’s not holding his breath.

WCG Contributors: Jeff Berckes; Patti Curl; Eric Christopher Duerrwaechter; Kev H; Sam Householder; Jacob Infante; Aaron Lemming; Ken Mitchell; Steven Schweickert; Jack Silverstein; EJ Snyder; Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; Whiskey Ranger; Robert Schmitz; Robert Zeglinski; Bill Zimmerman; Like us on Facebook.