This Sunday’s game between the Chicago Bears (9-4) and the Cleveland Browns (3-10) at Soldier Field is going to test the players, coaches and fans with frigid temperatures potentially dropping below zero.

One team is fighting for playoff positioning, while the other is using these final regular-season games to end a double-digit loss season on a positive note.

Head coach Ben Johnson said on Wednesday at Halas Hall that his team “desperately” needs to win this week. The Bears are currently the seventh seed in the NFC playoff picture, and a loss only opens up the possibility of the No. 8 seed Detroit Lions (8-5) leapfrogging the Bears for the final Wild Card spot.

Here are five players to watch on Sunday who will have a major impact on this Week 15 game.

S Kevin Byard III

The Bears’ defense gave up far too many explosive plays in last Sunday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers. Kevin Byard III and the Bears’ secondary will have to prove they can limit those 20-plus yard chunk pass plays against a Browns offense that has the third-fewest big completions (28) in the NFL, according to Radar360. Byard mentioned during his Wednesday press conference at Halas Hall that the secondary has to “tighten up with the execution of different coverages.”

One area that could help Byard and the rest of the defense is playing more effectively on early downs.

“I think looking at the last game, Green Bay was eight-of-12 on third downs, I think seven of those third downs were three and less,” Byard said. “So that means that they were really good on first and second downs. We had to be better on early downs to be able to get guys in the third-and-long because we’re really good on third-and-long. I just think those are a couple things we have to button up. We’re just continuing to get better.”

RB Kyle Monangai

In the Browns’ 31-29 loss to the Tennessee Titans last Sunday, Cleveland’s defense gave up 184 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. Titans running back Tony Pollard scored both rushing touchdowns and accounted for 161 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown in the first quarter.

There is no reason why Kyle Monangai shouldn’t have a huge impact on Sunday in the frigid cold. The Bears’ rookie running back ran for 57 yards on 14 carries and ran in a two-point conversion attempt against the Packers last Sunday.

If the Bears’ offensive line continues to reset the line of scrimmage and create rushing lanes, Monangai could be in store for a big game.

An underlying storyline to follow is how Monangai and Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins perform. Judkins leads all rookie running backs with 784 rushing yards this season, and Monangai is third with his 648 yards.

[READ: Kyle Monangai analyzes his running style in Bears’ NFL Week 14 loss]

DE Montez Sweat

Montez Sweat is having a relatively productive season rushing the quarterback. His 8.5 sacks are the 12th most in the NFL. Read more about Sweat’s impact in the in-depth article that Scott Bair wrote for Marquee Sports.

[READ: How Montez Sweat impacted Bears’ winning 2025 season, NFL playoff push]

The Bears’ defensive end will have a favorable matchup on Sunday with starter Jack Conklin out with a concussion. Former 2024 seventh-round draft pick KT Leveston filled in on the right side in last Sunday’s loss to the Titans, and Leveston allowed four total quarterback pressures and was penalized for holding.

Sweat’s career high in sacks is 12.5, and with four regular-season games remaining, he has a chance to break that mark. A well-played game against the Browns would help him to achieve that milestone.

DE Myles Garrett

This one is self-explanatory.

Myles Garrett is on pace and most likely will break the NFL’s single-season sack record by the end of the regular season. The 6-foot-4, 272-pound pass rusher has a career-high 20 sacks and is just three sacks away from breaking Michael Strahan’s and T.J. Watt’s 22 1/2 NFL shared record.

The Bears must have a sound protection plan so that the single-season sack record isn’t set at Soldier Field. Offensive tackles Ozzy Trapilo and Darnell Wright will both be tested, as Garrett is someone who will line up all over the defense.

His primary matchup will be against the second-round rookie in Trapilo. According to Pro Football Focus, Garrett has lined up on the defense line’s right side for 521 of his 633 D-line snaps.

QB Shedeur Sanders

The Browns’ rookie quarterback is coming off his best performance of the season, throwing for 364 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in the team’s 31-29 loss to the Titans.

Shedur Sanders showed good accuracy throughout the game, especially on his touchdown throw to David Njoku in the second quarter.

According to Next Gen Stats, Sanders has excelled at throwing passes behind the line of scrimmage, totaling +5.1 EPA, the sixth-highest mark in the NFL. However, the rookie quarterback has a -17.9 EPA on all other throws, which is the fourth-lowest among quarterbacks.

If the Bears can minimize the production on some of the shorter route concepts, Chicago’s defense should have success against the Browns’ passing attack.