Prediction: Will Bears become first team to lose to Browns in 2017?

Akiem Hicks was candid when asked this week if the Bears were taking any extra motivation from trying to not be the first — and probably only — team to lose to the Cleveland Browns in 2017. 

“We won’t be that team,” Hicks said. “Simple as that. We won’t let that happen.” 

The rest of Hicks’ teammates were more diplomatic when asked about the Browns’ 0-14 record, choosing to deflect with an “it’s just another game” answer. Coach John Fox stressed the Bears look at the tape, not the record. But while the Bears are 4-10, this is a prideful group that hasn’t quit on the 2017 season, and with that probably does come some added motivation to not be the team that loses to the laughingstock of the NFL. 

A few oddities are at stake on Christmas Eve: The Bears, with a win, could go 4-0 against the AFC North (and, with a loss next week against the Minnesota Vikings, would be 0-6 against the NFC North). Since Fox took over in 2015, the Bears are 0-7 when favored to win, and are 6 1/2-point favorites against the Browns. 

Fox, with a loss to the Browns, would have a .277 winning percentage as coach of the Bears — three points higher than Abe Gibron’s all-time low-water mark of .274. If the Bears lose to the Browns and Vikings, Fox would have a .271 winning percentage with the Bears. A win over the Browns would put Fox at a .300 winning percentage and ensure he wouldn’t end 2017 — and, likely, his career with the Bears — with the franchise’s worst winning percentage. 

The Bears are objectively better than the Browns, who are dead last in Football Outsiders’ total DVOA, and head into Sunday with the better quarterback. While Mitchell Trubisky has had an uneven rookie year, DeShone Kizer has a preposterous 9/19 touchdown-to-interception ratio. This is a game the Bears should win, which would be beneficial for Trubisky to at least have one more spike of positivity before his rookie year comes to a close. 

Prediction: Bears 20, Browns 12