Second post of the year! Time to really get rollin'.
Looking ahead to this week's game against the Detroit Lions let's look at some of the key factors that will decide this game.
1) Cutler's Protection
Let's not kid ourselves here, Jay Cutler gets hit a lot... and I mean A LOT. The Bears have surrendered 15 sacks already. If we project those numbers for the rest of the season we're looking at a whopping 60 sacks by the end of the year! Something must be done. The offensive line will be once again without rookie tackle Gabe Carimi as he nurses a knee injury. Lance Louis looks to fill his spot this week against the Lions and he, along with the rest of the offensive line, will have their hands full. The Lions boast a strong front four highlighted by second year defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and Kyle Vanden Bosch. The offensive line MUST contain these two players to keep Cutler upright and give him time in the pocket.
2) Matt Forte
The star running back for the Bears posted a career day last week when he rushed for 205 yards. With all the heat Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz has taken for a lack of balance in the offense, look for Forte to play a huge role next Monday and build on last week's success. Allowing Forte to carry the workload should ease pressure off Cutler and keep the offense from becoming one-dimensional. The Lions will look to stop Forte and the Bears must use this to their advantage; play-action pass anyone?
3) Stopping "Megatron" (Hey Autobots, any tips?)
There's no doubt Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson a.k.a. "Megatron" is cementing his place as one of the greatest wide receivers in the game today. Johnson has already posted 8 touchdowns and has had 2 touchdowns every game for four weeks. Sad to say, stride for stride NO ONE in the Bears secondary can consistently keep up with Johnson. So how will the Bears stop Megatron? Two words: Pass Rush. The Bears will need to consistently generate a solid pass rush against Matthew Stafford and prevent him from getting enough time to throw the ball to his stud wide receiver. Also look for Bears cornerback, Charles Tillman, to shadow Johnson for the majority of the game.
Bears X-Factor: Devin Hester
Last week Hester set the all time record for punt return touchdowns with 11 and also had a 73-yard kickoff return. If Hester can generate on special teams, the short field can only help a Bears offense that has struggled as of late.
Wednesday 5 October 2011
Tuesday 4 October 2011
Time to get rollin'
First post of the 2011-2012 season!
I know I'm a little late to the party (considering it is already 4 weeks into the football season), but as I've been told many times in my life: "Better late than never!"So let's get going!
So let's look at where the Bears stand at this point in the season. The Bears post a mediocre 2-2 record and currently hold 3rd place in a very tough NFC North division. After a promising start to the season with a beat-down of a highly anticipated Atlanta Falcons team, the Bears dropped two straight to the New Orleans Saints and the rival Green Bay Packers. However, last Sunday the Bears managed to hold off a very explosive Carolina Panthers team lead by the outstanding rookie sensation, Cam Newton.
All in all the Bears still seem to be plagued with the same problems they had last season: a leaky offensive line, a lack of playmakers at the wide receiver position, and a porous pass defence. The loss of promising rookie offensive tackle, Game Carimi, has not made things any better and if the offensive line does not protect Jay Cutler better, the future looks bleak.
With that in mind, I always look to find the silver lining in things. Stud running back Matt Forte is playing like a man who deserves the new contract he sought in the offseason. After posting a 205 yard rushing output on 25 carries with a touchdown, here's one fan urging the Bears front office to simply, "Pay the man!" The front seven of the defence still show dominance despite their increasing age. Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs are still playing at an elite level, and defensive end Julius Peppers continues to be a dominant player at his position. Young star, Henry Melton, has also shown flashes of being a disruptive force up the middle but needs to show more consistency to help improve the Bears' pass rush.
Looking ahead to next Monday, the Bears travel to Detroit to face off against a red-hot Lions team who are showing explosiveness in their offense and a complete change in the culture of the team. I must say, teams can no longer look at a game against the Detroit Lions as an easy mark in the "W" column. The Bears are going to have to bring their A game to beat the Lions and take another step towards their playoff aspirations.
I know I'm a little late to the party (considering it is already 4 weeks into the football season), but as I've been told many times in my life: "Better late than never!"So let's get going!
So let's look at where the Bears stand at this point in the season. The Bears post a mediocre 2-2 record and currently hold 3rd place in a very tough NFC North division. After a promising start to the season with a beat-down of a highly anticipated Atlanta Falcons team, the Bears dropped two straight to the New Orleans Saints and the rival Green Bay Packers. However, last Sunday the Bears managed to hold off a very explosive Carolina Panthers team lead by the outstanding rookie sensation, Cam Newton.
All in all the Bears still seem to be plagued with the same problems they had last season: a leaky offensive line, a lack of playmakers at the wide receiver position, and a porous pass defence. The loss of promising rookie offensive tackle, Game Carimi, has not made things any better and if the offensive line does not protect Jay Cutler better, the future looks bleak.
With that in mind, I always look to find the silver lining in things. Stud running back Matt Forte is playing like a man who deserves the new contract he sought in the offseason. After posting a 205 yard rushing output on 25 carries with a touchdown, here's one fan urging the Bears front office to simply, "Pay the man!" The front seven of the defence still show dominance despite their increasing age. Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs are still playing at an elite level, and defensive end Julius Peppers continues to be a dominant player at his position. Young star, Henry Melton, has also shown flashes of being a disruptive force up the middle but needs to show more consistency to help improve the Bears' pass rush.
Looking ahead to next Monday, the Bears travel to Detroit to face off against a red-hot Lions team who are showing explosiveness in their offense and a complete change in the culture of the team. I must say, teams can no longer look at a game against the Detroit Lions as an easy mark in the "W" column. The Bears are going to have to bring their A game to beat the Lions and take another step towards their playoff aspirations.
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