Up next on the Rams’ schedule are the 5-1 Chicago Bears. Yes, the same Chicago Bears that benched their quarterback earlier this season and rank 28th in total offense through six weeks.
You might be asking yourself, how does a team like that have such a great record? Well, the NFL isn’t just about offense, and Chicago’s defense is one that can challenge the Rams in Week 7. The Bears are seventh in points and yards allowed this season, 13th in takeaways, and has 15 sacks (10th-most).
It’s a defense that has given Sean McVay’s offense fits over the last two years, holding the Rams to 23 total points in their previous two meetings. Granted, they split those two games 1-1, with the Rams winning 17-7 last season, but it’s clear that Chicago has the talent to slow down the Rams’ high-powered offense.
McVay was asked Monday what makes the Bears defense so tough, and it’s their talent at all three levels that makes them difficult to move the ball against.
“It’s going to be a great challenge,” he said. “They’ve got a great rush. They’ve been really opportunistic, you see their playing really well on third downs and in the red area. It’s a lot of the personnel that they’ve had a lot of success with over the last couple of years. Akiem Hicks has been playing well. Obviously, Kahlil Mack and you look at Eddie Jackson and (Kyle) Fuller on the back end. Roquan Smith on the second level. So, it’s going to be a tremendous challenge and we’ve got to do a great job of playing efficient and consistent really through all three downs.”
Like Aaron Donald, Mack is once again a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, as he is every year. Through six games, he has 4.5 sacks, 21 tackles (6 for a loss) and eight quarterback hits. But surprisingly, it’s Hicks who leads the team with 10 QB hits and Smith tops the team with seven tackles for loss.
Fuller has been outstanding in coverage, too, allowing just 18 catches on 39 targets for 195 yards and a touchdown. He’s also picked off a pass and allowed a passer rating of only 59.2 in coverage.
Jared Goff will have to be completely aware of where Fuller, Mack, Hicks and Jackson are at all times, because they’re going to be looking for opportunities to take the ball away and give their offense a short field to work with.
Slowing down the Bears’ 28th-ranked offense shouldn’t be all that challenging, but moving the ball against that defense won’t be easy.
