Chicago @ Buffalo preview
Highmark Stadium
Last Meeting ( Aug 30, 2018 ) Buffalo 28, Chicago 27
The Chicago Bears will play five of their final eight games against their NFC North rivals, and they are assured of beginning that stretch in first place if they can win Sunday at the Buffalo Bills. The Bears got past the New York Jets 24-10 last week to snap a two-game slide and improve to 4-2 since their one and only division game -- a one-point loss at Green Bay in Week 1.
Mitchell Trubisky threw for two touchdowns and Jordan Howard ran for another while Chicago's defense dominated without injured leader Khalil Mack in the win over the Jets. Trubisky has averaged 305.8 passing yards and 58 rushing yards over the past four weeks while accounting for 14 touchdowns, and the 24-year-old ranks second among NFL quarterbacks with 296 yards rushing. While Trubisky has settled in nicely in his second season as a pro, the Bills remain lost at the position and will turn once again to Nathan Peterman, who steps in for his fourth career start with Derek Anderson (concussion) and Josh Allen (elbow) sidelined. Peterman has completed just 13-of-32 passes with one TD and four interceptions this year, performing mop-up duty in Monday's 25-6 loss to the New England Patriots.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Bears -10. O/U: 37.5
ABOUT THE BEARS (4-3): Mack (ankle) and wide receiver Allen Robinson (groin) both sat out the win over the Jets and are questionable entering this one, while the team is considering placing right guard Kyle Long (foot) on injured reserve. Howard, Trubisky and Tarik Cohen combined for 172 rushing yards last Sunday and Chicago enters the week ranked seventh in the NFL with 137.6 yards on the ground per game. A defense that leads the NFC with 11 interceptions -- three by cornerback Kyle Fuller -- will be licking its chops against Peterman.
ABOUT THE BILLS (2-6): Buffalo has scored 87 points on the season, its lowest through eight games in franchise history, and being forced to turn back to someone like Peterman as the offense sputters gives the impression of a team going nowhere. "I know we're getting it turned in the right direction," coach Sean McDermott told reporters. "We have a vision for this football team -- (general manager) Brandon (Beane) and myself. ... Sometimes we're not getting the results necessarily on the scoreboard, and that's frustrating. I know it's frustrating for our fan base. But I know we're doing things that are right, that are going to lead us to that down the road." The Bills incorporated veteran running back LeSean McCoy into the passing game a bit more against New England and the results (six catches, 82 yards -- his best total since 2013) were favorable.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Cohen has 23 catches out of the backfield over the last four weeks with 350 yards and three TDs.
2. The Bills signed WR Terrelle Pryor, who had 14 catches with the Jets before being released, and QB Matt Barkley -- a former Bear -- to back up Peterman.
3. The teams have not met since 2014, when Buffalo won 23-20 in overtime at Soldier Field.
PREDICTION: Bears 23, Bills 12