Winning on the road isn’t easy in the NFL. Away from the comforts and energy of your own home stadium, entering an environment where tens of thousands of people are deeply emotionally invested in your failure can be taxing. Factor in a suffocating altitude that takes time to adjust to and you have the recipe for a stellar home field advantage. After a disheartening season-opening loss, the Bears have no choice but to succeed against the Denver Broncos in their own digs this Sunday.
The percentage of teams who start 0-2 making the playoffs isn’t kind—it’s roughly 10 percent since 2007.