Week 2. Bears. Buccaneers. Gameday. Week 2 arrives with much greater stakes for the Bears than it has in year’s past, as a Week 1 Packers thrashing left both the team and fans at a loss for words. While it may just be an early season overreaction, the Bears seem to be at a critical juncture in just the sophomore week of the season. A win could right a quickly sinking ship; a loss could see major lineup and coaching changes.
Luckily for Chicago, they go into Tampa with reasonable expectations that they can win. The Buccaneers have talent at some key positions, but Chicago is not the talentless void that has been previous seasons. The team has talent up and down the roster; now it’s just about tapping into it on a weekly basis. Even with the threat of a disastrous outcome looming overhead, let’s break down the four reasons why the Bears will beat the Buccaneers.
QB Justin Fields has a bounce back performance
Although Justin Fields isn’t entirely to blame for the offense falling apart at the hinges last Sunday, the quarterback certainly contributed to the problem. Fields played too conservative on opening weekend, moving off of developing routes downfield and prematurely flipping the ball to the checkdown. The passer admitted to moving off of his primary reads too early and vowed to right his wrongs come Sunday. Well, Mr. Fields, Sunday is here; time to make good on your promise.
The star signal-caller will need to not only throw the ball with confidence and timing, but he’ll also need to trust his offensive line to protect him long enough to deliver the ball down the field. His breakaway ability with his legs is what makes Fields special, but purely relying on that aspect of his game is how Chicago will lose games. If Fields pairs his running ability with exponential growth as a passer in Week 2, Chicago won’t just get to 1-1 on the season; they’ll kick open the door for a possible playoff run.
Chicago's secondary keeps Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in check
The Bears’ secondary faces their biggest challenge of the season in attempting to cover the Pro Bowl receiving tandem of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Starting cornerback Kyler Gordon will be sitting out the next few games with a hand injury, making the task even more daunting. Though the Bears’ defense is down a man, they are not out. Chicago’s secondary is one of the team’s biggest strengths, and they’ll deploy starting outside corners Jaylon Johnson and rookie Tyrique Stevenson to match up with Evans and Godwin.
As talented as the two defensive backs are, there’s a reason the two Bucs receivers are considered some of the NFL’s best. The duo will be the focal point of Tampa Bay’s offense, and they’ll almost certainly make a big play or two. That’s where Bears’ safeties Eddie Jackson and Jaquan Brisker come in, as they’ll be provide air support as the two corners run with Evans and Godwin. The secondary will need to minimize the receiving tandem’s impact on the game. When the receivers make catches, the entire defense needs to rally to the football and make the tackle.
Remember head coach Matt Eberflus’s H.I.T.S. principle? The one that involves a swarming the ball carrier and trying to punch the ball out? If Chicago’s defense can tap into that, a win will be within reach.
The Bears will consistently pressure QB Baker Mayfield
A strong pass rush is the fastest way to derail an opposing offense, so Chicago giving up 31 points on defense in their opening game is a strong indicator that the team has quite the opposite. The only player along the defensive line that came to play was defensive end Yannick Ngakoue; everyone else in the group may as well not have been on the field. The Bears will get another crack at getting a push on an offensive line against the Buccaneers in Week 2.
Unfortunately for the unit, they’ll be lining up against another strong offensive line in the Buccaneers. The group is led by All-Pro tackle Tristan Wirfs, and the rest of the position is looking to be more than the Bears’ defensive line can handle. Still, the NFL’s mantra is “any given Sunday”, so the D-line still has a puncher’s chance. Ngakoue will need edge rusher DeMarcus Walker to be a much more antagonistic force in Week 2 if Chicago is to make Mayfield’s afternoon uncomfortable.
The duties of pushing the pocket and clogging the run lanes on the interior will fall on defensive tackle Justin Jones and rookies Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens. If the rookie tandem can get off to a strong start in today’s game, you may see the two on the field more than Jones and veteran Andrew Billings.
The defensive line is projected to be the Achilles’ heel of the team for the foreseeable future; a solid showing today could change their fate.
Luke Getsy and Matt Eberflus will prepare much better gameplans
If the Bears want to turn their season around, the change has to come from the top. Matt Eberflus will be taking over defensive play calling duties today, and both he and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy need to come into Tampa with a revamped playbook for both sides of the ball. Getsy will need to prepare for the Bucs defenses’ strengths over the Bears offense and adjust accordingly to the oppositions tendencies as the game goes on.
Conversely, Eberflus will need to trust his defense to carry out more complicated coverages in an effort to fool Mayfield. If the pass rush once again flames out as it did Week 1, the head coach will need to send heat additional positions to pick up the slack.
The Bears need a complete team effort — both players and coaches — to secure a much-needed victory.
