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The Chicago Bears finished the year on a historic losing streak, and things couldn’t have worked out any better.
The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday, January 8, by a score of 29-13. The loss marked the end of Chicago’s least successful season in the franchise’s existence.
“For the first time in 103 seasons of football, the Bears have lost 14 games,” Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic tweeted following the game. “They finish the 2022 season with a franchise-record 10-game losing streak and a 3-14 record after a 29-13 loss to the Vikings.”
The worst campaign in more than a century would typically leave a bad taste in the mouths of everyone involved. However, Chicago’s prize for all its losing is the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft this April.
Bears Lock Up Top Pick After Texans’ Improbable Comeback
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GettyCornerback Greg Stroman Jr. of the Chicago Bears celebrates an interception during a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on January 8, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
The Bears didn’t only need to lose their final game of the year to land the No. 1 pick, but needed the hapless Houston Texans to win their contest against the Indianapolis Colts. Luckily for Chicago fans, Houston did so in near miracle fashion.
The Texans were out in front for much of the game, but fell behind 31-24 late in the fourth quarter. Their win required not one, but two fourth-down conversions on the final drive of the game.
With 1:26 left on the game clock, Houston quarterback Davis Mills completed a 30-yard pass to wide receiver Brandin Cooks on 4th-and-12 from in the Colts’ 48-yard line to keep the drive alive. Then, on a 4th-and-20 from the Colts 28-yard-line, Mills hit tight end Jordan Akins in the end zone for a touchdown to bring the Texans within a point with only 50 seconds left to play.
Houston then lined up for a two-point conversion, which the team converted via a second consecutive completion from Mills to Akins. The Colts were able to advance the ball four yards shy of the 50-yard line, but failed to enter field goal range before time expired.
Bears Primed For Big Offseason, Earn First Top Draft Pick in 75 Years
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GettyTight end Cole Kmet of the Chicago Bears scores a touchdown during a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on January 8, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
The last time the Bears had the top pick in the draft was 1947. The jump from No. 1 to No. 2 opens up a host of opportunities for Chicago in a quarterback-heavy draft, as they clearly have their QB of the future in Justin Fields.
Several teams picking near the top of the draft are in the market for a quarterback, including the Texans at No. 2. Also potentially looking for an upgrade under center are the Seattle Seahawks, Colts, Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers.
Heading into Week 18, those teams were slotted in to pick at No.’s 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, respectively. The Seahawks procured their No. 3 pick via a trade with the Denver Broncos, while the Lions got their No. 6 selection via a trade with the Los Angeles Rams.
The Bears have been most frequently linked in mock drafts to Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter and Alabama linebacker/edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. The ideal scenario for the Bears would be to trade back just far enough to score a massive haul from a team willing to pay to guarantee they get their man at QB, while still picking high enough to land Carter or Anderson.
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