The Chicago Bears were shaken to their core after they lost a humiliating game to the rival Green Bay Packers in Week 1, and both the coaching staff and players are searching for answers.
The Bears’ Wednesday press conference revealed much of where the team’s collective head space is at as they prepare to travel to Tampa Bay to battle the Buccaneers.
Buy Bears TicketsHead coach Matt Eberflus is seriously considering a lineup change after a certain player’s lack of effort last Sunday, quarterback Justin Fields is vowing to air the ball downfield after an uncharacteristically coy throwing performance in Week 1 and safety Jaquan Brisker had a text-off with Fields about getting their energy up — seriously.
Despite all the talk and rumination on what went wrong in Week 1, the Bears must go into the Buccaneers’ Raymond James Stadium with a “must-win” mentality and get the season back on course. Chicago will be aiming to succeed in three crucial aspects in order to come out of Week 2 with a 1-1 record.
Let’s discuss the three key matchups to watch in Week 2.
1
Bears offensive line vs. Bucs defensive line
A shaky offensive line group once again has their work cut out for them against a fierce Bucs front four.
The guys in the trenches will attempt to limit the impact of star players such as defensive tackle Vita Vea and linebacker Shaquil Barrett. The pure force of Tampa Bay’s front will likely be too much for Chicago’s offensive line to withstand, so expect offensive coordinator Luke Getsy to rely on his infamous short passing scheme as he tries to limit negative plays. The Bears would do well to use quarterback Justin Fields’ legs to move the pocket and give their star passer a solid platform to work the intermediate-to-deep passing game.
The line will have an equally difficult time in grading a path for the Bears’ running backs to burst through. Chicago may utilize misdirection, delayed handoffs, and outside runs to keep the defense off-balance and possibly spring a big play. Fields’ incredible running ability should be used early and often on designed runs, as Fields gaining chunk yardage with his legs will keep the Bucs’ defense honest and allow the pass game to succeed.
2
QB Justin Fields vs. Bucs secondary
Fields was too conservative with the ball in Week 1; don’t take it from me, QB1 admitted as much in a recent press conference.
“That’s one thing I talked to Luke and Coach about. I felt like I was a little bit too conservative at times during the game,” Fields said. “Definitely with guys like DJ and Chase on the outside, if we do have one-on-one, potentially throwing it up and seeing what happens. They’re great playmakers and can most likely come up with a 50-50 ball. I definitely want to give them more chances deep down the field.”
Whether he meant to or not, Fields has now made a promise to the Chicago faithful that he’ll rip the ball down the field to give his talented receivers a chance. If the Bears’ signal-caller can uphold his end of the bargain, there’s a good chance he’ll have a statement performance and a win to boot.
Tampa Bay has made a concerted effort to create a solid secondary, with talented corner Carlton Davis III and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. rounding out the defensive backfield. Their talent was not enough to contain the Vikings’ explosive pass game, however, as the unit gave up 328 yards through the air and allowed 7.1 yards per pass.
While Fields is not the fine-tuned quarterback that Kirk Cousins is and Bears receiver DJ Moore isn’t the dynamic pass-catcher that Justin Jefferson is, the pair are talented enough to take advantage of the Bucs pass defense. QB1 will need to subdue his hesitant tendencies and throw with anticipation as well as confidence to Moore, Chase Claypool (if he plays) and Darnell Mooney.
Fields’ performance by game’s end could have Bears fans in high spirits, believing they have their quarterback of the future.
3
Bears secondary vs. Bucs receivers
A rising Chicago secondary was not able to sustain Green Bay’s offensive blows, and eventually the door that led into the endzone was blown off. The Packers scored three touchdowns in the third quarter, with the latter two being back-breaking touchdowns that put the game out of reach.
Promising Bears safety Jaquan Brisker reflected on the performance in a Wednesday press conference, admitting that the defense was disappointed but ready to respond.
“It was really disappointing for us,” Brisker said, via Courtney Cronin. “I feel like we needed that because I feel like we were a little too high in practice. We had a lot of energy and things like that but we hadn’t won a game yet. I feel like we might have needed that. But regardless, we came out of there very disappointed and we’re ready for this week.”
Brisker and the rest of the secondary will have the chance to rebound in Week 2 against the Bucs, but they’ll have to work for their redemption. Perennial Pro Bowl receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin pose a difficult challenge for Chicago’s young secondary, the task made even more imposing with the club’s lack of pass rush. Mayfield will have all day to throw from the pocket if defensive coordinator Alan Williams abstains from blitzing as he did in Week 1.
The key to controlling the two receivers’ production is a complete understanding of every play and rolling over support whenever possible. The spotlight should be focused on Godwin and Evans until another Bucs receiver proves he can win one-on-one. Collapsing the pocket and making the inconsistent Mayfield make a mistake would be a major plus, but that won’t be realistic with a three or four-man pressure. The duo is known for their yards-after-catch ability, so making sound tackles in space will be critical.
Elite receivers often can’t be stopped; they’ll inevitably make the plays that makes them household names. Chicago’s goal will be to stop them from completely taking over.
