2 Key Stats About Bears Week 8 vs. Seahawks

Oct 15, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) runs a route in the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

2 Key Stats About Bears Week 8 vs. Seahawks

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jobe Morrison | Last updated Oct 31, 2026 2:00 PM ET

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The Chicago Bears face another major challenge in Week 8 as they travel to Seattle for a Monday night showdown with the Seahawks. After taking down the defending AFC champions, Chicago now gets a crack at the defending Super Bowl champions. However, Seattle presents some difficult matchup problems on both sides of the football.

Two statistics stand out when evaluating the Seahawks entering this matchup. One highlights an offensive weapon who could give Chicago’s secondary fits, while the other showcases a defensive unit that can make life difficult for Caleb Williams and the Bears’ offense. If Chicago wants to leave Seattle with a victory, these are two numbers it cannot afford to overlook.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 867 Receiving Yards

Smith-Njigba has played just seven games and could surpass 1,000 receiving yards by the end of Week 8. That’s mind-boggling. As if his receiving yardage weren’t impressive enough, some of the underlying analytics make his production even more remarkable.

Smith-Njigba leads the NFL with a receiving EPA of +54.1. Second place isn’t even close, as 49ers receiver Mike Evans sits at +37.3.

Add in his +15.4% Catch Rate Over Expected, which ranks among the league’s best, and his league-leading eight touchdown receptions, and Smith-Njigba has a legitimate case for the NFL MVP conversation. In fact, he should be in the discussion. Enough of making this a quarterback-only award.

Chicago won’t win this matchup by asking its struggling cornerbacks to cover Smith-Njigba one-on-one. It will take a collective effort from the secondary and the rest of the defense to contain him. Can the Bears find a way to get it done?

-0.118 Defensive EPA With 233.9 Total Yards Per Game

Oct 25, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) passes the ball under pressure from Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) and linebacker Derick Hall (58) during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The Seahawks have the kind of defense that can give any offense fits. Sometimes, EPA and yards-per-game statistics don’t tell the entire story on their own. In this case, they do. Looking at both numbers together only reinforces how dominant this unit has been.

Seattle ranks second in defensive EPA and first in total yards allowed per game. For anyone wondering what that means, it means the Seahawks have an elite defense despite their 4-3 record.

Chicago loves creating explosive plays on offense. Seattle doesn’t allow many. This could be a game in which Caleb Williams simply needs to take what the Seahawks give him. Ben Johnson is more than capable of building on those early gains and turning them into bigger plays as the game progresses.

The biggest key early, however, will be avoiding mistakes. Turnovers, penalties and missed opportunities could doom the Chicago offense against a defense this talented. The Bears don’t necessarily need to hit home runs on every possession. They need to stay disciplined, take advantage of what’s available and make Seattle work for every stop.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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