Seahawks-Bears Preview: Snow on the ground, COVID lists and more

Dec 25, 2021, 12:57 AM | Updated: Dec 26, 2021, 10:38 am

Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs reacts after intercepting a pass Tuesday against the Rams. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

BY BRENT STECKER

Seattle Sports

The Seattle Seahawks season won’t end with a trip to the playoffs, but they still have three games left to end the 2021 campaign on a high note.

Clayton: Seahawks can start an important strong finish vs Bears

The first of those final three contests is Sunday, as the 5-9 Hawks will welcome the 4-10 Chicago Bears to Lumen Field for a 1:05 p.m. kickoff. The game will air live on 710 ESPN Seattle and KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, the flagship stations of the Seahawks Radio Network, with coverage starting at 10 a.m. Sunday with the pregame show.

This will be the first Seahawks-Bears meeting since Week 2 of the 2018 season, and the first game between the two teams in Seattle since 2015. Chicago is expected to have two familiar faces on the field for the game in former Seahawks first-round draft picks offensive tackle Germain Ifedi and linebacker Bruce Irvin.

Here’s a look at what else you need to know about Sunday’s game.

Home sweet snow

The conditions at Lumen Field on Sunday afternoon will be something the Bears are likely more accustomed to than the Seahawks: cold and snowing.

Photos: Seahawks’ Lumen Field blanketed in snow for Bears game

Seattle was blanketed in snow early Sunday morning, and the wintry weather will continue all day with temperatures in the 20s.

The scene in Seattle for Bears vs. Seahawks today 😮 ❄️ pic.twitter.com/t8uBEdrCx4

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 26, 2021

According to the National Weather Service Seattle account on Twitter, Seattle could get anywhere between 3 inches and 11 inches of snow this weekend, with 6 inches considered the best forecast.

If it seems exceedingly rare for the Seahawks to play a home game in the snow, that’s because it is. In fact, this will be just the third NFL game in Seattle ever in snow and the first in 13 years. The previous two happened within a three-season period – a 2006 game against Green Bay and 2008 meeting with the New York Jets. Oh, and the Seahawks are 2-0 in home games in the snow.

Pete Carroll Preview

The Seahawks head coach joins Steve Raible, the voice of the Seahawks, every Friday for KIRO Radio 97.3 FM’s Pete Carroll Preview. Listen to the full conversation previewing the Hawks-Bears game below:

Seahawks and Bears reserve/COVID-19 lists

The Seahawks are getting healthier after having seven players from their active roster on the reserve/COVID-19 list for Tuesday’s loss to the Rams.

The big news is that wide receiver Tyler Lockett and running back Alex Collins, the first Seahawks to hit the COVID list last week, have been cleared to play. Running back and return man Travis Homer was cleared Friday, as well. The bad news for Seattle, though, is that tight end Will Dissly landed on the list Thursday. In addition to Dissly, the Seahawks still have cornerback D.J. Reed, tackle Brandon Shell, defensive tackle Bryan Mone and defensive end Kerry Hyder still on the list.

Seattle will be down a pair of coaches due to illness, as well. Linebackers coach John Glenn will miss a second straight game, with defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. assuming his responsibilities, and passing game coordinator Andre Curtis will also miss Sunday. DeShawn Shead, a defensive assistant, will fill in for Curtis.

The Bears have received a number of players back from the COVID list themselves, but they also had to put star defensive tackle Akiem Hicks on the list Thursday.

Seahawks-Bears injury reports

Aside from the players on the COVID list, the Seahawks are surprisingly healthy, which is great news for a team that will be just five days removed from its most recent game on Sunday. The only players on Seattle’s injury report are linebacker/key special teamer Jon Rhattigan, who suffered a knee injury Tuesday, and cornerback Bless Austin, who is questionable with a hip injury.

The Bears have big issues, most notably at quarterback. Nick Foles will start with Andy Dalton out with groin and hand injuries and Justin Fields questionable with an ankle injury. Chicago has also ruled out offensive lineman Jason Peters (ankle), wide receiver Jakeem Grant Jr. (concussion) and defensive back Xavier Crawford (concussion). In addition to Fields, listed as questionable are wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (foot) and defensive lineman Eddie Goldman (finger).