The Bears needed a boost after three weeks of backsliding or landing flat on their backs.
Coach Matt Eberflus thinks they received it heading into a game when they can always use any bit of edge possible.
The Bears have a new outlook on things with their new offensive coordinator and with a few critical players returning to the lineup, especially tackles Darnell Wright and Braxton Jones.
"It's huge, right?" Eberflus said. "Those guys have a lot of experience. The continuity’s there, working with each other, next to each other there. I think it's important that you have that.
"Those guys have played well. Darnell’s played well, Braxton's played well. We just have to make sure the whole (offensive line) group five equals one there and plays all together during the course of the whole game."
Even with those two back from knee injuries, they'll be missing left guard Teven Jenkins with an ankle injury. Eberflus said Ryan Bates will play left guard for Jenkins. Matt Pryor will be at right guard, where he has played most of the season.
"We had a real good fast Friday today working on the red zone, but you could feel it all the way throughout the whole building."
Change has improved their outlook.
"Obviously with the change on the offensive side of the ball, I thought Thomas did a really good job of bringing the guys together through this plan, getting them ready to perform on Sunday," Eberflus said. "Coaches and players, I really see a lot of collaboration between the groups.
"That happened before but I see it more and more this week—guys tightening it up and getting together. I was pleased with that."
It spilled over into meeting after practice.
"They're meeting afterward now to talk about the route disciplines," Eberflus said. "They've done some of that before but even more, so I think just being on the same page and really mastering your position, I told the guys after practice today, is that being at your best means that you're ready to go and execute all the plays, all the calls, that are called during the course of the game."
Eberflus didn't say quarterback Caleb Williams was negligent in this area in the past, but did make it clear the quarterback needs to be entirely versed on all eventualities.
"That's the nature of the position, right?" Eberflus said. "He's the guy that takes command of the huddle and makes those calls and has command of the whole offense. He has to study more than anybody.
"The guys have to help, also, at their position with how they’re going to execute that particular route or that particular scheme, so it takes everybody on Sunday to execute at a high level."
It's going to require all of this positive energy to snap a 10-game losing streak to their rivals.
"They've won the last 10 and that has been stated," Eberflus. "We're looking to change history. That's an important thing that we rally around.
"It's one game for us. We understand where the history is and we have to be better there. We have to play for three hours on Sunday and we're excited about this competition."
