It feels like it’s been forever since the Chicago Bears last took the field, suffering a decisive loss against the Oakland Raiders that, despite the 24-21 close score, saw the team get outplayed in nearly every phase of the game.
Following their bye week, coach Matt Nagy’s squad now prepares for a surging New Orleans Saints team as they come into Chicago with a 5-1 record behind backup QB Teddy Bridgewater.
The Saints’ offense has been the primary focus as of late, but their defense is playing at an elite level and could give the Bears’ struggling offense fits on Sunday afternoon.
Here are three Bears players on offense facing major tests against the Saints.
1. QB Mitchell Trubisky
After missing nearly two full games with a left-shoulder injury, Trubisky appears ready to return to action this Sunday, but he’ll face a Saints defense that features playmakers up front and in the secondary.
Defensive end Cameron Jordan is a force off the edge, leading the team with five sacks and cornerback Marshon Lattimore continues to show he’s one of the best corners in the game. The Saints as a whole rank just below the Bears in pass defense (237.5 yards per game) and have surrendered an average of 13.3 points over the past three weeks.
Trubisky has been under the microscope all season and putting together a solid game against a strong defense will help quiet any doubters. Can he come out firing Sunday?
2. OL Rashaad Coward
The Kyle Long era, for all intents and purposes, is over. Will this be the beginning of a new entrenched starter on the offensive line? Coward likely gets his shot on Sunday as he’s in line to take over Long following his move to injured reserve.
A converted defensive lineman, Coward was viewed as a long-term project last season while he learned the nuances of playing on the offensive line. He filled in nicely against the Minnesota Vikings earlier this year, but now that teams have tape on him, he’ll have to show he’s up to the task against a Saints defense averaging three sacks per game this season.
Coward isn’t expected to solve all of the offensive line woes that have plagued the team all year, but a strong performance from him will go a long way to not only keeping Trubisky upright, but potentially kickstarting a dormant rushing attack that ranks 29th in total rushing yards.
3. WR Anthony Miller
The stage is set for Miller to have his breakout game of the season. With Lattimore likely shadowing wide receicer Allen Robinson and the Saints without their top nickel corner P.J. Williams due to a suspension for substance abuse, Miller has a golden opportunity to shine on Sunday.
The biggest test for him will be if he can take advantage of the situation. Following a slow start to the season, Miller took off against the Raiders, catching four passes for 52 yards. He credits the removal of his shoulder harness, used to protect his dislocated shoulder in 2018, as the reason for his improved play.
Now, harness-less and going up against defensive backs Patrick Robinson and C.J. Gardner-Johnson in the slot, where he lines up 78 percent of the time according to Player Profiler, the ingredients are in place for Miller to cook with fire.
