The Chicago Bears (3-8) will face the New York Jets (6-4) on Sunday, and Chicago is hoping to break a four-game losing streak. However, star quarterback Justin Fields is questionable to play after suffering an injury to his non-throwing shoulder in a frustrating 27-24 loss to Atlanta last week.
New York is in playoff contention, but not without their issues. The Jets have benched their quarterback, Zach Wilson, who was the second overall pick in 2021 and have been without their star running back, Breece Hall, since Week 7. Nevertheless, the Jets are a team with an elite defense and an average offense — ironically mimicking Bears teams of the past.
Chicago will have an opportunity to win, but here are three concerns they will need to address to win in Week 12.
1
The Bears offense without Justin Fields
The Bears offense since Week 6 is unrecognizable. Chicago averaged 274 yards and 17.2 points per game through the first five weeks. Over the last six weeks, the offense improved to 369 yards and 25.8 points per game.
Chicago’s success is coming from designed runs for Justin Fields. The second-year quarterback’s average rushing attempts increased to 13.3 per game over the last six weeks compared to 8.4 in the first five games.
Fields’ status is in question for Sunday vs. the Jets after suffering a separated left shoulder. Without him, the Bears’ offense could fall back to reality with Trevor Siemian at the helm.
2
Jets' elite DL vs. Bears' struggling OL
The Jets’ defensive line is elite. Led by Quinnen Williams, the defensive unit ranks sixth in total sacks and seventh in pressures. John Franklin-Myers join Williams on the interior, and the two have combined for 32 quarterback hits and 11.5 sacks. In addition to the Jets’ interior strength, on the edge, Carl Lawson and Jermaine Johnson have contributed 20 quarterback hits and six sacks.
Chicago hasn’t faced a defensive line as good as New York’s, and the Bears’ offensive line is still one of the worst in the NFL, allowing 40 sacks, ranking dead last. But the Jets defense isn’t just great at rushing the passer; they’re also good at stopping the run.
The Jets defense ranks ninth in rushing yards allowed at 109.7 per game. For Chicago, a run-first team (best in the NFL), New York will be the toughest challenge the Bears have faced this season.
3
The Bears are 1-5 in away games
Chicago is in the middle of a rebuild. As a result, the team has gotten younger and struggles to win on the road.
Both the offense and defense are worse on the road vs. at home. The Bears offense at home averages 50 more yards rushing (225 vs. 175) and one more yard per rush (6.0 vs. 5.0), and this decline leads to offensive struggles.
On the road, the average yards needed to gain a first down increased from 8.3 at home to 9.0 on the road. Away from home, the Bears are playing behind the chains and struggling to score. At home, the Bears average 22.2 points per game; on the road, it’s 21.6 points.
The defense also gets worse on the road. Chicago’s defense allows 53 more rushing yards per game (166.3 vs. 113.0) and 1.2 more yards per carry (5.3 vs. 4.0), and teams are scoring much more on the ground against the Bears’ road defense. Of the 18 rushing touchdowns surrendered this year, 12 have come on the road.
Against the pass, Chicago allows quarterbacks to complete 71% of their passes on the road compared to 62% at home. The combination of the rushing and passing woes is why the Bears allow opponents to score 27.7 points on the road vs. 21.6 points at Soldier Field.
Despite being in playoff contention, the Jets are a team in conflict. They have benched their starting quarterback and lost their star running back to injury. So the next step in the Bears’ building a winning culture is learning how to win on the road.
