The Chicago Bears (3-5) will host the Detroit Lions (3-4-1) at Soldier Field on Sunday, and they’re desperate to snap their four-game losing streak.
All the pieces are in place for the Bears to do so. They’re facing the 31st ranked defense in the NFL, and Lions starting quarterback Matthew Stafford has been ruled out with a back and hip injuries.
There’s really no excuse for the Bears not to win this game. But then again, no game has been a layup for the Bears, even when it appears easier.
Let’s look at three keys to a Bears victory on Sunday:
1. Establish an offensive rhythm early
The Bears offense has been struggling since the season opener, and one area that they’ve had great difficulty is establishing a rhythm early. They’ve scored just once on the opening drive of a game this season. But more than that, they’ve found themselves in a deep hole early in the game.
Look no further than last week against the Philadelphia Eagles, where the Bears offense had a historically bad first half where they amassed just nine total yards. They battled back in the second half, but by then it was too late.
Chicago’s offense needs to establish a rhythm early against a bad Lions defense that ranks near the bottom of the league both in the run and pass. They need to do that by running the ball with rookie David Montgomery and utilizing play action to allow Mitchell Trubisky to take some shots down the field.
2. Limit the penalties
The Bears haven’t helped themselves with self-inflicted penalties that have wiped out positive plays or allowed the opposing team to take advantage, especially against the Philadelphia Eagles last week.
Chicago needs to play mistake-free football against a Lions team without starting quarterback Matthew Stafford and a team that has the 31st ranked defense in the league.
3. Create turnovers
Whether it’s Matthew Stafford or Jeff Driskel under center for the Lions, the key is simple for the Bears defense: Get after the quarterback and force him into mistakes. Obviously it’s easier with Driskel rather than Stafford, but if the pass rush is getting after the quarterback, it won’t matter who’s back there.
One area of the Bears defense that’s been lacking this season has been forcing turnovers. Last season, the Bears had 36 takeaways — the most in the NFL — and scored six touchdowns. This season, the Bears are tied for 16th with 11 takeaways after having 21 at the halfway point last year.
Is this the game where the Bears defense gets back on track and forces a multi-takeaway game?
