Today, I’m framing my prediction with Sidney Lumet’s offerings from the decade of the 1990s.
Q&A (1990). A strange, compelling film that Lumet co-authored. What do I find most strange about the 2024 Chicago Bears? Cole Kmet. Why does Kmet, a tight end that should be a vital component when it comes to making a rookie QB’s life easier, have only six catches over the last three weeks? Thomas Brown must get him more involved to unlocking this passing game.
A Stranger Among Us (1992). Will the real Montez Sweat please stand up? This is not the same player who arrived midseason in 2023, and the Bears needed him to be if they intended to mount a serious pass rush. Sam Darnold has a quick trigger under pressure. Sunday, they need Sweat to apply it.
Guilty as Sin (1993). What am I most guilty of this season? Underplaying the impact of the “Hail Maryland.” Seeing the Bears play Sunday against Green Bay, it’s clear that was not the same team that showed up the previous two weeks. The hangover was real, but it seems to have receded, sadly costing the club their 2024 campaign.
Night Falls on Manhattan (1996). One of the most underrated films of the decade, Night Falls is not perfect, but Lumet guides several brilliant performances, especially the late Ron Leibman. Minnesota features one of the best pass rushes in the league. Night is about to fall on Caleb Williams if the OL is not on high alert. (And I’m not sure their alertness will matter too much.)
Critical Care (1997). A subtle, if not entirely successful reminder that Lumet is the cinema’s greatest institutional critic. The Vikings offense is on a bit of life support. They have won their last three games, but it’s been mostly on the strength of their defense, as they’re allowing only 11 points per game over that stretch.
Gloria (1999). Lumet’s seriously misguided cinematic effort; a remake with no reason for existence. This is a perfect metaphor for Matt Eberflus’s continued role in the Chicago Bears. Still, I’m calling for the upset.
Chicago Bears 16, Minnesota Vikings 13