Chicago Bears

Smith issued a statement requesting a trade on Tuesday, writing "the new front office regime doesn't value me here".

Set to make $9.735million in the final year of his rookie contract, Smith, who represents himself, had been holding out during training camp while working towards a new deal.

The 25-year-old, however, has become infuriated with negotiating with first-year general manager Ryan Poles and now wants out.

"The new front office regime doesn't value me here," Smith wrote in a statement posted by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

"They've refused to negotiate in good faith, every step of this journey has been 'take it or leave it'.

"The deal sent to me is one that would be bad for myself, and for the entire LB market if I signed it. I've been trying to get something done that's fair since April, but their focus has been on trying to take advantage of me.

"I wanted to be a Bear for my entire career, help this team bring a Super Bowl back to our city.

"However, they have left me no choice than to request a trade that allows me to play for an organisation that truly values what I bring to the table."

Selected eighth overall in the 2018 draft, Smith has been one of the league's top linebackers and was looking to be paid like one.

Smith was reportedly offended by Chicago's backloaded offer that included de-escalators that are not in the contract of any of the other 94 non-quarterbacks making at least $15m per year.

Smith ranked fifth in the NFL in total tackles last season with 163 to go with 12 tackles for loss to earn second-team All-Pro honours for the second straight year.

In 61 career games, he has 538 total tackles, 43 tackles for loss and five interceptions, making him one of just three defensive players with at least 300 tackles, 30 tackles for loss and five interceptions since 2018, along with Darius Leonard and Jamie Collins Sr.

Smith apologised to Chicago fans and implied he could possibly withdraw the trade request if team ownership can restore the fragmented relationship but said it is unlikely he will ever put on a Bears uniform again.

"I haven't had the chance to talk to the McCaskey family, and maybe they can salvage this," he wrote, "but as of right now I don't see a path back to the organisation I truly love."

The deal includes just over $30m in guaranteed money, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Robinson, 28, has long been considered one of the NFL's most underappreciated receivers, finding ways to produce with very little help from mediocre quarterback play.

Robinson has only seen more than 70 pass attempts thrown his way by two quarterbacks in his career – Blake Bortles (372 attempts) and Mitch Trubisky (300 attempts).

Now he gets a chance to prove himself with Matthew Stafford under centre, where instead of being the primary focus of the defensive game plan, he will start opposite the league's most productive receiver and reigning Offensive Player of the Year, Cooper Kupp.

The Thursday Night Football battle between Foles and Brady was the first time two NFL QBs had taken part in a Super Bowl rematch while both representing different teams.

Despite the Bucs racing out to a 13-point lead, it was Foles and the Bears who emerged with a 20-19 win at Solider Field that moved them to 4-1.

Foles also tasted victory over Brady when the Philadelphia Eagles faced the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII, but defenses were more of a factor in this meeting.

Brady was sacked three times and pressured throughout, ultimately restricted to 253 yards and one touchdown as the Bucs, who fell to 3-2, racked up 11 penalties.
 
"Any time you can frustrate Tom Brady, it's a great day, and our defense did that," said Foles, who had an up-and-down outing with 243 yards, one touchdown and one pick. 

"I was really proud of our defense and what they did.

"It wasn't an easy game by any means. It was a fistfight. We just kept fighting, kept fighting, and everyone just kept throwing punches. 

"I would say the big thing was we got to learn how to go through a fistfight like this and come out on top. You don't want them every week, but if that's what it takes to win every week, that's what we'll do.

"It reminded me of a good old fistfight from Philly. Now, I get to do it in Chicago. I really enjoyed getting in the locker room and celebrating with my team-mates. Everyone is really excited about the victory."

Foles came into the game on the back of his difficult first start in a defeat at the Indianapolis Colts, having previously inspired a big comeback against the Atlanta Falcons after replacing Mitch Trubisky from the bench.

It was another mixed night against the Bucs, but head coach Matt Nagy felt the QB highlighted his "special traits" when he engineered two fourth-quarter drives which led to Cairo Santos field goals.

"All in all, the offense made plays when they had to and I think that's one of the special traits that I think Nick has – that is who he is," said Nagy. 

"The best part about all this that I'm super-excited with our players and our coaches is that we're 4-1, and we know we can play a lot better.

"We've been resilient with how we've come through in different situations. There's something special about this team. We find ways to win. It's not always pretty; we totally understand that. But this is a big win for us."

Khalil Mack had two sacks in a game for the first time since Week 3 of the 2019 season and had another chalked off for roughing the passer, with Brady visibly frustrated at times.

"I can't really say what he was going through," Mack said of Brady. "I just know that we smelled a little blood in the water."

The Bears scrapped to a 16-14 victory against the winless Lions on Thursday amid uncertainty over Nagy's future in Chicago.

Nagy had to answer questions about his future this week, following reports he had been told his final game would be against the Lions (0-10).

But after snapping a five-game skid, Nagy savoured Chicago's result as the Bears improved to 4-7.

"When there's distractions, which is in every sport, in all facets of life, there's always going to be distractions," Nagy told reporters.

"It's how you handle them. And again, we got the win today, and it could've went a lot of different ways. But the reason why we got the win is because of how they handled the distractions, you know? That's where to me, when you're in this business and you lead people, it's my job to make sure of honest and open communication.

"That's where, for me, I just can't tell you how much this win means today to me because of what they did."

Chicago's defence allowed a season-low 239 total yards and just 14 first downs against Detroit.

Andy Dalton fuelled the Bears with a touchdown on 24-of-39 passing for 317 yards – his 30th 300-yard career passing game and the most yards by a Chicago quarterback since November 2020.

"Again, for me, there is only my understanding, which is what it's been since the day I signed up to be this coach, is to win as many games as I can possibly win, and do it the right way," Nagy added.

"When you lose five games in a row, you understand. When you're 3-7, you know what territory it can get to. You know what I mean? That comes with the job. I knew that four years ago when I took this, and so here we are. Every week is a little bit different.

"This one was definitely different. This is one of those weeks where you use it moving forward. You don't make any predictions, but what you do is when you go home on that plane tonight and everyone's having a good time because they're able to celebrate and have fun watching the tape and enjoy their Thanksgiving and get back to being healthy and understand what games are next, but the only game that matters is Arizona coming up.

"That's it. So again, for me, the only thing I can say to those players is that I appreciate them and we have a hell of a group of guys, players and coaches, and they showed it today by getting a win."

Nagy has found himself under pressure following Chicago's 3-7 start to the NFL season and there have been reports his job is on the line heading into Thursday's clash with the winless Detroit Lions.

A report claimed Nagy's final game would be against the Lions and that he has already been told of the franchise's decision.

Nagy was asked about his future and the particular report on Tuesday, telling reporters: "That is not accurate."

The Bears – beaten by the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11 – have lost their last five games, and they had a six-game losing streak last season.

According to Stats Perform, this is the first time the Bears have endured a five-game or longer losing streak in each of two consecutive seasons since 1997 (seven straight losses) and 1998 (six in a row).

Nagy, who has led the Bears to the playoffs in two of his three full seasons since being appointed in 2018, added: "My focus is on these players and Detroit, and that's it. That's my job as a head coach and a leader, is to do that.

"These players have been amazing. They've been great. You have this quick turnaround after a loss like [Sunday's to the Ravens], and now here you go.

"The only thing we can do is focus on the now and do everything we can. Thursday is going to be here quickly."

Nagy was absent from last week's 33-22 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers following a positive coronavirus test, leaving special teams co-ordinator Chris Tabor in charge.

But after eight days in quarantine, Nagy is set to return to the sidelines for Monday's clash with the Steelers as the slumping Bears (3-5) seek to snap a three-game skid.

"We just had our walkthrough," Nagy said on Thursday. "It was great to be able to get outside to get back out there with them.

"I was cleared on Tuesday, so I was back in the office Tuesday morning. I was able to get back in here and get back to some quote-unquote normalcy. It was awesome seeing all the coaches and really just kind of getting back on track."

Chicago have been outscored by 72 points this season. That is the Bears' worst point differential through their first eight games of a season since 2000 (minus-92 points), per Stats Perform.

The Bears have won their last three games against the Steelers – the most recent of which was a 23-17 overtime victory in Week 3 of the 2017 season.

Chicago are 19-7-1 all-time against Pittsburgh, but that includes Bears wins in each of the teams' first 10 meetings, all before 1950.

"There's definite urgency, and I think that that's OK," Nagy said. "You need to have that … We have this game coming up and we have a bye and then you have eight games after that. But the only thing that matters is making sure that we get that win. The wins change everything.

"Look at the Steelers. They started out 1-3. Here they are 4-3. They've won three in a row. They fought through it. They probably have pretty good leaders, probably have guys that care about playing. And they don't point fingers, they don't blame, they're not negative. They're positive. We've got a positive room in there. The players are positive. They care.

"We want to start a different streak. Let's win one and then win another and continue to go and see where it leads. That's kind of the mindset that we have."

Nagy tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, leaving special teams coordinator Chris Tabor to take charge of practice this week.

And it is Tabor who will take the reins on Sunday as the Bears look to improve to 4-4 in a meeting with the 2-4 Niners.

Tabor is in his 14th season as an NFL assistant and must use that experience to lead the Bears to victory in a game between two teams fighting to stay alive in the NFC playoff picture.

The Bears follow the Arizona Cardinals in being without their head coach for a game because of COVID issues.

Arizona defeated the Cleveland Browns in Week 6 in a game coach Kliff Kingsbury missed after testing positive.

The Bears won their most recent meeting with the 49ers in 2018 but have lost two of their previous three home games against San Francisco.

Nagy's positive COVID-19 result came after the Bears returned home from Sunday's 38-3 rout at the hands of reigning NFL Super Bowl champions the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Chicago's special teams co-ordinator Chris Tabor will step in to run team meetings during Nagy's absence.

"This is something that for us, it's a reminder for all of us to be extremely cautious and to understand where we're at," Nagy told reporters via Zoom.

"We've seen it with other teams in the league and society in general, so we're working through that."

The Bears are 3-4 this season following back-to-back defeats against the Buccaneers and Green Bay Packers.

Elijah Wilkinson, Caleb Johnson, Jimmy Graham and Robert Quinn are the four players on the Bears' reserve/COVID-19 list.

Nagy added: "I feel pretty good. Again, you come in in the morning and it's something where every morning on Monday, you come in, you're following protocols, it's what we do.

"So when I got the call this morning from our head trainer, Andre Tucker, you try to be prepared. We're still working through some of the team.

"But that's a good sign for sure. We need to make sure that we do everything we're supposed to do here in regards to the protocols."

Pagano served as Bears DC for the final two seasons of a 36-year coaching career.

He was Indianapolis Colts Head Coach for six seasons between 2012 and 2017, making the playoffs for the first three of those years.

Pagano, 60, spent 18 years coaching in college and the next 18 in various NFL roles.

"After 36 years of coaching the game I love, I have decided to retire from the National Football League," Pagano said in a statement on Wednesday.

"I'd like to sincerely thank the McCaskey family, Ted Phillips, Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy for the opportunity to be a part of such an amazing organization.

"Also, many thanks to the Irsay family and the Colts organization. 

"I am forever grateful to that community and to the support they have always given me both on and off the field.

"I'd also like to thank all the coaches, players and staff throughout my career. Thank you will never be enough to express my gratitude.

"As much as I love coaching, it takes a lot of time away from your family and loved ones.

"I'm excited to start this new chapter of my life and can't wait to be able to spend more time with my family. This has been an amazing ride and I have made countless relationships that I will cherish forever."

Pagano's announcement came after general manager Pace revealed everything was on the table at the QB position.

The Bears made the playoffs despite stumbling to an 8-8 record in 2020, though they were promptly eliminated by the New Orleans Saints on Wildcard Weekend.

Former number two overall pick Mitchell Trubisky is hoping to return but is scheduled to become a free agent after the team previously declined his fifth-year option.

While that draft selection does not appear to have panned out, a trade for Super Bowl champion Nick Foles failed to have the desired effect either.

"We definitely need more out of the [QB] position," Pace said. "We know that. What does that entail? That's what this whole offseason is about.

"Everything is on the table right now. You do learn and improve through experiences.

"I can confidently say I'm a lot better at this with each year of experience." 

Trubisky was 20th in the NFL among qualifying quarterbacks with a passer rating of 93.5 in 2020, while Foles (80.8) was 29th in the same category.

Matt Nagy was named Coach of the Year in 2018 but consecutive 8-8 seasons have he and Pace under pressure to make the most of a strong all-round roster, something which could be possible with better options under center.

Trubisky’s deal is set to expire at the end of the 2020 season, and in that campaign he will have to compete with Nick Foles – acquired from the Jacksonville Jaguars in March – for practice repetitions and the starting job.

Trubisky will be playing for his next contract – whether it is in Chicago or elsewhere.

The Bears traded up from the third pick to number two overall in the 2017 draft to select Trubisky out of North Carolina, but he has failed to live up to his draft status.

The success of Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson, who were drafted later in the first round, has added to the pain felt by Chicago supporters.

Trubisky started 14 games in 2018 with a 95.4 passer rating, helped lead the Bears to a playoff berth and was selected to the Pro Bowl.

He regressed last year, posting an 83.0 passer rating and seeing a drop-off in his completion percentage, yards and touchdowns, prompting Chicago to trade a fourth-round draft pick for Foles.

Trubisky was the first draft pick made by general manager Ryan Pace and was hailed as the foundation of a rebuild in the mould of the New Orleans Saints, for whom Pace had worked previously.

With the deadline to decide on fifth-year options for the 2017 draft class coming on Monday, that crop of players has come under the microscope in recent days.

While Mahomes, drafted number 12 overall, has been the crown jewel of the class, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is the only top-five pick to have his fifth-year option picked up.

Earlier this week, the San Francisco 49ers declined their option on defensive lineman Solomon Thomas, as did the Jaguars with running back Leonard Fournette and the Tennessee Titans with wide receiver Corey Davis.

Bears coach Matt Nagy had to answer questions about his future this week, but he was boosted by a trip to Detroit to play Goff and the winless Lions in Thursday's early game.

Goff – back after an oblique injury – is now 0-16-1 when not coached by McVay, having gone 42-20 in their four years together with the Los Angeles Rams, and this was another outing to forget.

Although a matchup between the teams ranked 29th and 30th for points per game heading into the week was never likely to be a classic, it started well for Goff when he connected with Josh Reynolds on a 39-yard touchdown.

D'Andre Swift soon went down with a shoulder problem to check Detroit's momentum, however, and Cairo Santos' field goal got the Bears on the board before two Andy Dalton passes broke the game open late in the half, as he threw 52 yards to Darnell Mooney and then 17 yards to Jimmy Graham up the middle for a TD.

That was quickly followed by a Goff fumble – his eighth of the year and the fifth he has lost – and the Lions continued to struggle to move the chains even after an Amani Oruwariye interception, instead allowing Santos to stretch Chicago's lead before half-time.

But Goff's work through the air was much improved and a patient third-quarter drive ended with a pass to T. J. Hockenson to edge the Lions in front.

The hosts came close to their first win of the season but were ultimately thwarted by the boot of Santos as Chicago's final drive led to a successful 28-yard field goal in the final seconds.

Bears coach Matt Nagy had to answer questions about his future this week, but he was boosted by a trip to Detroit to play Goff and the winless Lions in Thursday's early game.

Goff – back after an oblique injury – is now 0-16-1 when not coached by McVay, having gone 42-20 in their four years together with the Los Angeles Rams, and this was another outing to forget.

Although a matchup between the teams ranked 29th and 30th for points per game heading into the week was never likely to be a classic, it started well for Goff when he connected with Josh Reynolds on a 39-yard touchdown.

D'Andre Swift soon went down with a shoulder problem to check Detroit's momentum, however, and Cairo Santos' field goal got the Bears on the board before two Andy Dalton passes broke the game open late in the half, as he threw 52 yards to Darnell Mooney and then 17 yards to Jimmy Graham up the middle for a TD.

That was quickly followed by a Goff fumble – his eighth of the year and the fifth he has lost – and the Lions continued to struggle to move the chains even after an Amani Oruwariye interception, instead allowing Santos to stretch Chicago's lead before half-time.

But Goff's work through the air was much improved and a patient third-quarter drive ended with a pass to T. J. Hockenson to edge the Lions in front.

The hosts came close to their first win of the season but were ultimately thwarted by the boot of Santos as Chicago's final drive led to a successful 28-yard field goal in the final seconds.

NFL Network reported the short turnaround ahead of the trip to Detroit to face the Lions likely will keep Fields out of action, though Bears head coach Matt Nagy said Monday the team was still "gathering facts". 

Rookie QB Fields got pummelled by the Baltimore Ravens defence in a 16-13 defeat Sunday, leaving in the third quarter with rib problems. 

He had completed just four of 11 passes for 79 yards at the time. Dalton came on in relief and completed 11 of 23 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns. 

Nagy acknowledged there could be a "safety issue" playing Fields against the Lions but remained vague about the team's plans. 

"‘We always want to make sure that we’re not putting our players at more risk, regardless of who you are," Nagy told reporters Monday.

"Obviously, there’s more magnitude to everybody else — and to us — with Justin. And being the quarterback and touching the football every play and throwing and that sort of thing. So we’ll have to keep that in mind.’’

Quarterback shuffling has been a season-long theme for the Bears (3-7), as the veteran Dalton started the first two games of the season before suffering a knee injury.

Sunday marked only his second appearance since then, as the 22-year-old Fields has had mixed results but generally shown improvement while settling into the starting role. 

The 11th overall pick in this year's draft threw for a career-best 291 yards in Chicago's previous game, a 29-27 loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

The Lions (0-9-1) also are expected to be without their starting QB, as Jared Goff continues to deal with an oblique injury that kept him out of Sunday's 13-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns. 

Tim Boyle likely will start again in Goff's place in the Lions' annual Thanksgiving Day showcase. 

Veteran Dalton missed the 26-6 defeat to the Cleveland Browns bn Sunday due to a knee injury suffered in the Week 2 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, while rookie Justin Fields is a doubt with a hand issue, meaning Foles could get the nod if neither recovers in time. 

Nagy revealed that an X-ray on Fields' injury came back negative, while Dalton is being assessed on a week-by-week basis. 

"They're all under consideration right now in regard to where they're at," Nagy said when speaking to the media on Monday.  

"We'll just have to see the next couple days where they're all at. 

"We know where Nick [is] at, health-wise, but we just want to keep an eye on Justin and Andy and for us to just stay on that and make sure that we have a plan for any of those." 

The Bears have started the season poorly, dropping to 1-2 following the heavy defeat to the Browns in which they managed just 47 total yards of offense. They have also scored just 40 points through three games. 

Fields underwhelmed after replacing Dalton against the Bengals and did not improve against the Browns, completing just six of his 20 pass attempts for 68 yards while taking nine sacks. 

The incident occurred shortly after Marsh followed a sack on opposing quarterback Ben Roethlisberger with his custom spinning-jump kick celebration.

Marsh then made contact with Corrente having moved towards the Steelers' bench. The official produced a flag and the Bears were penalised 15 yards.

The Steelers would go on to a kick what would become a crucial field goal for a 26-20 lead, in a game they won 29-27 to move to 5-3 for the season.

Reflecting on the incident after the game, Marsh said: "On my way to the sideline, I got hip-checked by the ref. It's pretty clear. 

"If I was to do that to a ref or even touch a ref, we get kicked out of the game and possibly suspended and fined. I just think that that was incredibly inappropriate.

"I think that one was just bad timing. It's pretty clear to everybody who saw it that I wasn't taunting. 

"I've been doing the celebration my whole career. It's just sad to see stuff like that happen in a close game like that."

Corrente himself insists the contact with Marsh had no part to play in his decision to make the call.

"First of all, keep in mind that taunting is a point of emphasis this year," Corrente said in a pool report. 

"And with that said, I saw the player, after he made a big play, run toward the bench area of the Pittsburgh Steelers and posture in such a way that I felt he was taunting them.

"I didn't judge [the contact] as anything that I dealt with. That had nothing to do with it. It was the taunting aspect."

Justin Fields had led the rallying Bears (3-6) to a 27-26 advantage with less than two minutes remaining, dazzling with a 16-yard pass to Darnell Mooney during the closing stages as Roethlisberger and the Steelers were left with work to do.

Roethlisberger (21-of-30 passing for 205 yards and two touchdowns) fuelled a seven-play drive to get Chris Boswell into position for a game-winning field goal – the Steelers snapping a three-game skid against the Bears as Cairo Santos, who had made 40 consecutive field goals, four short of the all-time record, failed with a 65-yard effort in his reply.

"We're finding ways to win the game," Roethlisberger said. 

"Played well enough. Not great. But offensively speaking, we're just doing enough right now."

The Hall of Fame confirmed his passing in a statement on Wednesday.

"All those who love the game of football mourn the loss of one of the greatest to ever play this game with the passing of Chicago Bears legend Gale Sayers," Hall of Fame president and CEO David Baker said in a statement.

"He was the very essence of a team player -- quiet, unassuming and always ready to compliment a team-mate for a key block. Gale was an extraordinary man who overcame a great deal of adversity during his NFL career and life.

"The 'Kansas Comet' burst onto the scene in the National Football League and captured the attention of all of America. Despite playing only 68 NFL games because of an injury-shortened career, Gale was a clear-cut -- and first-ballot -- Hall of Famer for his accomplishments on the field and for the man of character he was in life.

"The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Gale. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Ardie, and their entire family.

"We will forever keep his legacy alive to serve as inspiration for future generations. The Hall of Fame flag will fly at half-staff until he is laid to rest."

A fourth overall pick by the Chicago Bears in 1965 after racking up 4,020 all-purpose yards at the University of Kansas, Sayers made league history as a rookie.

Sayers scored an NFL-record 22 all-purpose touchdown in his first season, including six in one game.

He earned four Pro Bowl selections and five first-team All-Pro nods in his decorated career and came back from an injury-shortened 1968 season to lead the league in rushing yards in 1969.

His efforts in that season earned him the Comeback Player of the Year award but further injuries cut his career short.

Sayers retired before the 1972 season and was inducted into Canton as a first-ballot Hall of Famer five years later. 

Labelled "the greatest player I've ever seen" by fellow Bears legend Mike Ditka, Sayers was named to the NFL's 50th, 75th and 100th Anniversary teams. His jersey number 40 is retired by the Bears.

The Philadelphia Eagles (9-1) and Minnesota Vikings (8-2) look set to slug it out for number one spot in the NFC but the picture is far tighter in the AFC, where the 8-2 Kansas City Chiefs lead the way ahead of four sides with a 7-3 record.

Week 12's action includes a number of sides looking to boost their chances of featuring in the postseason, with the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs all having home field advantage.

Stats Perform has taken a look at some of the more interesting numbers ahead of these and other big games on Sunday.

Cincinnati Bengals (6-4) @ Tennessee Titans (7-3)

The Bengals head to Tennessee having scored 37 and 42 points in their last two games, with a total of 79 standing as their most over a two-game span since 2005, and Joe Burrow will be looking to make an impact against an opponent he went touchdown-less against last time out.

In the playoff win against the Titans last season their franchise quarterback did not throw a touchdown pass, with that still the only game which the Bengals have won without Burrow throwing a TD when he has started.

The Titans only really got going in Week 3 this season, boasting a 7-1 record since. That stands as the joint-best across the NFL, tied with Minnesota and Philadelphia – the top two in the NFC, as it stands.

Since Week 4, the Titans have held their opponents to an average of 2.8 yards per rush, the best in the NFL, while the 387 yards rushing allowed in those seven games is the lowest tally by any NFL side in such a span since the 2014 Detroit Lions.

Chicago Bears (3-8) @ New York Jets (6-4)

The Bears have won five straight in matchups against the Jets but travel to New York on the back of a three-game losing streak, each of which has been decided by three or fewer points – the first time in franchise history they have experienced such a run.

Chicago will come up against Mike White as the starting QB for the Jets, who have benched Zach Wilson after last week's horror show against the New England Patriots, where they scored just three points despite not turning the ball over in the game.

White last started in Week 10 of last season, while his four games in 2021 saw him throw an interception on 6.1 per cent of his passes, the highest mark of quarterbacks across the NFL last season with at least 100 passing attempts.

Sunday's matchup will see two vastly different teams on the ground, with the Bears rushing for 54 first downs since Week 8, 15 more than the next-closest team over that span, while the Jets have rushed for just 13 first downs in the same period – the lowest total across the NFL.

Las Vegas Raiders (3-7) @ Seattle Seahawks (6-4)

The Raiders head to Seattle having lost their last five road games against the Seahawks, tied for their longest active losing streak on the road against a single opponent – also losing five straight at Green Bay.

Las Vegas have had no more than one takeaway and no more than one giveaway in nine straight games, the longest streak by any NFL side in the Super Bowl era, but come up against a formidable force in rookie Tariq Woolen.

Woolen has five of the Seahawks' seven interceptions in this season (71.4 per cent) and is on course to shatter the NFL rookie record for the highest percentage of a team's interceptions, which is currently held by Washington's Dan Sandifer, who had 13 of 24 in 1948 (54.2 per cent).

Quarterback Geno Smith has completed at least 64 per cent of his passes in all 10 games so far this season, tying him with Steve Young (1992), Drew Brees (2011) and Kyler Murray (2021) for the longest streak to start an NFL season.

Los Angeles Rams (3-7) @ Kansas City Chiefs (8-2)

The Rams head to Kansas City on the back of a four-game losing streak, tied with the 1999 Broncos and 2002 Patriots for the third-longest losing streak by a defending Super Bowl champion – behind only the 1987 Giants and 2009 Steelers (five straight losses).

In the past eight games, the Rams have just a single takeaway, which stands as the lowest by any side over an eight-game span in the Super Bowl era.

The Chiefs have a devastating record against the Rams, having scored 246 points (41 per game) over their last six games against Los Angeles, the second most by any NFL team over a six-game span against an opponent since the 1970 merger.

Having fought back from behind to beat the Chargers last time out, the Chiefs have now won six in a row when trailing at halftime, dating back to last season, the longest streak by any NFL team (regular and postseason) since the 49ers won seven such games in a row from 1989-90.

Elsewhere…

All 10 of the Denver Broncos' games this season have been decided by single digits. If that happens again against the Carolina Panthers, they will tie the second-longest such streak to begin any NFL season, trailing only the 2015 Ravens (12 games).

Green Bay head to Philadelphia having won six of their last eight matchups against the Eagles. They had won just five of their previous 17 prior to that.

The 49ers host the Saints having recorded at least one sack in 37 straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL and the longest streak for San Francisco in the Super Bowl era.

The Falcons travel to Washington with six wins in their last seven against the Commanders. Atlanta have scored at least 24 points in nine straight games against Washington – the franchise's longest streak against any opponent in team history.

The 30-year-old six-time Pro Bowler sustained the injury in the Bears' Week 3 defeat to the Cleveland Browns but played on for the next four games.

Mack had missed the Bears' past two games – defeats to the San Francisco 49ers and the Pittsburgh Steelers – and head coach Matt Nagy confirmed he will require season-ending surgery.

"With him, it's been the last several weeks just trying to get right," Nagy told reporters.

"I think we did everything as far as trying to attack it the right way with him, and I know he's put a lot of time and energy in trying to get back and see where things are at. But this is where we're at.

"I know he's frustrated because he's such a competitor. But this is the best thing for him and the best situation to be able to help him out and get it fixed."

Mack joins veteran linebacker Danny Trevathan on injured reserve for the Bears who have a 3-6 record and face the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

Former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Mack recorded 19 tackles, 6.0 sacks and six tackles-for-loss across seven games this season.

The move comes after Chicago traded two-time All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday and pass-rusher Robert Quinn to the Philadelphia Eagles last Wednesday. 

The Bears (3-5) are sending a 2023 second-round draft pick to Pittsburgh (2-6) in exchange for Claypool, who has 32 catches for 311 yards and a touchdown reception in eight games this season. 

The Steelers selected Claypool in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft, and he has totalled 153 catches for 2,044 yards and 12 TD grabs in 39 games. 

Claypool has run the ball 32 times for 167 yards and two touchdowns in his career, and he threw a one-yard TD pass to Pittsburgh running back Derek Watt in last week's 35-13 loss to the Eagles. 

An agreement is said to have been reached to hire the 36-year-old, who will step up after serving as executive director of player personnel with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Reporting the deal, the NFL's official website said Poles had also been on a list of candidates for GM jobs with the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings.

The Bears have yet to finalise the deal that is set to see Poles, who was interviewed on Friday, step up to a general manager position for the first time.

Bears chairman George H. McCaskey has led the search for the new general manager, and interviews were also held with 12 other candidates: Glenn Cook, Champ Kelly, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Jeff Ireland, Monti Ossenfort, Joe Schoen, Ed Dodds, Ron Carthon, Omar Khan, Morocco Brown, Reggie McKenzie and Eliot Wolf

The Bears limped in third in the NFC North this season with a 6-11 record, their worst performance since going 5-11 in 2017.

Coach Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace were sacked at the season's end, and Nagy's replacement has yet to be confirmed, with Dan Quinn, Matt Eberflus and Jim Caldwell reportedly three contenders for that post.

Poles joined the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2008, but his playing career was short-lived. He switched to the Chiefs and served in a range of roles, impressing in scouting duties of increasing seniority, before becoming assistant director of player personnel in 2018 and executive director of player personnel in June of last year.

The new Bears regime will build around quarterback Justin Fields - a 2021 first-round pick - in a bid to end an 11-year drought without a win in the play-offs.

Chicago lost Super Bowl XLI to the Indianapolis Colts after the 2006 season and reached the NFC Championship Game - where they were beaten by the Green Bay Packers - in 2010, both under the guidance of Lovie Smith.

They are winless from just two post-season appearances since, as the Packers continue to dominate the NFC North.