IN THIS UP AND DOWN SEASON THE BEARS NEED A WIN, AND THE FINAL REGULAR-SEASON GAME, THIS SUNDAY.

THEN, THEY ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS.

WHILE THEY HAVE WON THREE STRAIGHT GAMES THE NEXT TO GO IS A MIGHTY ONE.

THE GREEN BAY PACKERS.

CAN THE BEARS TOPPLE THEIR BIGGEST RIVAL TO REACH THE POSTSEASON DURING A YEAR THAT HAS BEEN ANYTHING BUT NORMAL?

>> JOINING US ONCE AGAIN TO OFFER HIS TAKE HIS FORMER CHICAGO BEARS LINEMAN (NAME?).

HAPPY NEW YEAR JAMES.

>> THINK YOU HAVE ME.

>> 2020 HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT YEAR, TWO TIMES OF THIS REMIND YOU OF THE IMPORTANCE OF SPORTS IN BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER?

>> YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY, THIS YEAR, SOME PEOPLE HAVE TO DO IT VIA SKYPE.

DIFFERENT AVENUES LIKE THAT, JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE OLDER PEOPLE IN THEIR FAMILY AND THEY WANT TO KEEP THEM SAFE.

EVEN FOR THE ATHLETES, BEING ABLE TO SEE YOUR FAMILY IS NOT NECESSARILY A GOOD THING RIGHT NOW.

YOU DO NOT WANT TO TRANSMIT ANYTHING TO THEM, OR HAVE THEM TRANSMIT ANYTHING TO YOU THAT YOU WILL TAKE BACK INTO A FACILITY.

>> IN THE SPRING, WHEN THE PANDEMIC WAS RAMPING UP, DID YOU EXPECT THE SEASON TO UNFOLD AS IT DID?

>> NO, I DO NOT THINK THERE WAS ANY WAY THAT ANYONE COULD PREDICT THAT THEY WOULD GET ALL OF THESE GAMES AND, WITH THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF DISTRACTIONS THEY HAD.

STILL TO BE THIS CLOSE TO FINISHING THE SEASON, ON TIME.

>> THEY REPORTED THE BROWNS HAVE SHUT DOWN THEIR PRACTICE FACILITY AFTER TWO ADDITIONAL POSITIVE COVID TEST, FOLLOWING THREE PLAYERS BEING PLACED ON THE COVID LIST, DO YOU SEE IT RETURN TO SOME KIND OF NORMALCY?

>> I HOPE SO.

I THINK EVERYONE IS READY FOR NOT ONLY THAT, EVERYONE WANTS TO GO SEE A GAME.

JUST TO BE OUT AND AMONGST OTHER PEOPLE.

YOU HAVE TO HOPE THIS VACCINE WORKS.

IF THE VACCINE IS WHAT THEY SAY IT IS, THE NEXT YEAR THINGS SHOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE BACK TO NORMAL.

I CAN'T SEE IT THIS SOON, BEING ALL THE WAY BACK.

>> I THINK EVERYONE IS HOPING.

A WIN AGAINST THE PACKERS ON SUNDAY, BUT THE BEARS IN THE PLAYOFFS.

THE PAST THREE TEAMS THEY CONSECUTIVELY BEAT, THEY ALL HAD LOSING RECORDS.

THE 12 TO 3 PACKERS, THAT IS A DIFFERENT STORY.

THEY BEAT THE BEARS LAST TIME, BADLY, 24 TO 25.

CAN THE BEARS GET IT DONE?

>> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY YES.

BUT WE HAVE SEEN OUT OF THE OFFENSE THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS, HAS BEEN VERY PRODUCTIVE.

WE ALSO HAVE NOT FACED A DEFENSE THAT IS IN THE TOP 20, THE LAST FOUR WEEKS.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A TEST, GREEN BAY DOES NOT HAVE THE BEST DEFENSE IN THE WORLD.

THE BEARS ARE IN A UNIQUE SITUATION.

IF THEY LOSE, THEY COULD STILL MAKE IT TO THE PLAYOFFS.

EVEN THOUGH THE PACKERS GOING INTO THE GAME, KNOWING THEY NEED THIS GAME, IF THEY PLAY IT WELL AND COME OUT WITH SOME TYPE OF MORAL VICTORY, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY, THEY COULD STILL BE IN THE PLAYOFFS.

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY, ONCE YOU GET TO THE PLAYOFFS, EVERYTHING CHANGES.

>> WHAT DOES THE BEARS DEFENSE NEED TO DO TO CONTAIN AARON RODGERS?

>> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN CONTAIN AARON RODGERS.

FIRST OF ALL, YOU WILL HAVE ALL OF THOSE GUYS THAT ARE MAKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO EARN THEIR PLACE.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT PRESSURE ON ROGERS.

MAKE HIM UNCOMFORTABLE.

DEFENSIVELY, SHUTTING DOWN THE LINE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT PRESSURE ON AARON RODGERS.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE PEOPLE AROUND HIM.

JUST RATTLE HIM.

>> HOW IMPORTANT WOULD YOU SAY THIS GAME IS IN DEFINING (NAME?

)'S FUTURE AND HIS LEGACY IN CHICAGO?

>> I DO NOT KNOW.

I THINK HE IS BIG RIGHT NOW.

YOU HAVE SEEN IMPROVEMENT OUT OF HIM.

YOU STILL SEE HIM MAKING SILLY MISTAKES, ALL AND ALL, HE PLAYS BETTER.

HE PLAYS BETTER BECAUSE THE OFFENSE OF LINE HAS PLAYED BETTER.

THE RUNNING GAME HAS LOOKED BETTER, THE COACHES HAVE CHANGED THEIR PLAY AS FAR AS WHAT THEY EXPECT OUT OF THIS OFFENSE.

YOU CAN BUILD ON THIS.

(NAME?)

IS NOT A BAD QUARTERBACK TO HAVE.

>> BIG BOLD PREDICTION, WHAT IS IT?

>> I AM GOING 27 TO 24.

BEARS.

>> GOING FOR THE BEARS?

HOW ARE THEY GOING TO PULL THAT OFF?

>> LIKE I SAID, I THINK THAT DEFENSE STEPS UP.

ALL OF THE GUYS ON THE DEFENSE,