Week 4 has arrived, and Chicago Bears fans are forced to forego the more exciting happenings around the league and subject to themselves to what will surely be a shameful game between the Bears and Denver Broncos.
Both teams are winless as they reach the conclusion of the first quarter of the season, and a win would have a lasting effect on both teams. Chicago particularly has been under fire due to the team’s lack of ownership in who is to blame for their disappointing start, and the rumor mill is beginning to pick up speed as both the media and fans are beginning to talk about in-season firings and major shakeups to the roster.
Buy Bears TicketsMuch hangs in the balance as the Bears look to defend their home turf against the Broncos, so let’s go over the four ways Chicago can secure a win in Week 4.
1
Justin Fields puts together his best game of the season
Shocker, I know. Fields has been the star of this crazy reality show that’s titled the “2023 Chicago Bears,” and believe it or not, ratings are not looking good. At all. Fields has the fanbase’s panic meter at an all-time high and has them very close to opening their eyes to a grim reality where they’ll have to cut bait on the third-year passer to select another promising rookie.
While the last three weeks have definitely depicted a very bleak picture, the paint hasn’t dried just yet. Week 4 presents a prime opportunity for the talented, but flawed Fields to make some major strides. The Denver defense has not played at the same level as their talent suggests and has allowed some big games to opposing quarterbacks. For Fields to get a much-needed win, he’ll need to continue to trust his instincts as a passer, while prioritizing the deep ball. Fields’ greatest weapon is his incredible running ability, and he should disregard the coaching staff’s attempts to make him a pure pocket passer and take off when he gets a defensive look he doesn’t like.
There is a future where Fields can salvage his career with Chicago and be the duel-threat dynamic quarterback that becomes must-see TV. A good performance and a win in today’s game would be the first step into becoming exactly that.
2
The Bears have a productive day on the ground
Of the countless football traits the great city of Chicago has been known for, a punishing run game has always been one of them. From the old-but-gold ballcarriers like Walter Payton all the way to ever-reliable Matt Forte, running the ball has always been the one trick that the Bears could rely on when all else fails. Like most everything else this year, toting the ball has not worked; it’s high time that Chicago makes it a major part of their attack.
The Bears have a tough running back duo that are built for a slugfest — a trio, if the team activates D’Onta Foreman. Khalil Herbert and rookie Roschon Johnson are talented, durable backs that can be relied on to grind out tough yards. Chicago should hand off the ball often and early; it will get the offensive lineman to engage defenders and play with tenacity, and it will have the defense wary of the run, which will open passing lanes in the middle of the field. Every pillar the coaching staff tried to construct this past offseason has crumbled, so it’s time to start from the basics and lean on the running backs.
3
The secondary is able to limit Sutton and Jeudy's production
Chicago has glaring holes in the secondary at the moment, and head coach Sean Payton must be salivating over the ways he can scheme his potent receivers open. The Bears will call upon the aid of backup defensive backs to replace cornerback Jaylon Johnson and safety Eddie Jackson on Sunday, and the lineup change couldn’t come at a worse time.
Despite their winless record through three games, the Broncos boast a productive passing game that has made a living feeding the ball to Sutton and finding Jeudy for big chunk plays. With the defense at a full power, it would’ve been a tough task; without them, you can already pencil in Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson to throw for at least 300 yards.
Chicago is in quicksand after the first three weeks of the season, and they’re losing ground fast. Even if it will take a Herculean amount of effort, the Bears will need to find a way to keep Sutton and Jeudy’s lightning in the bottle.
4
The pass rush contains and sacks Russell Wilson
The Bears’ defensive front four has had an odd start to their 2023 campaign. The unit may as well not have been on the field in Week 1 for all they did in the game; Week 2 saw the group get into the backfield more, but fail to bring down Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield. In Week 3 against the Chiefs, well… we remember how that went. Despite the pass rush’s ineffectiveness in the first quarter of the season, they have the chance to finish that quarter strong with a bounce-back performance against Denver.
Unfortunately for the Bears front four, the job won’t be to just sack Wilson; they’ll also have to keep him in the pocket and not allow him to escape outside of it. This will directly hinder the unit’s effectiveness, due to Chicago’s best rusher, Yannick Ngakoue, being an edge defender. He and fellow edge rusher Demarcus Walker will be asked to play a spy sort of a role and keep tabs on Wilson’s whereabouts while also trying to take down the QB. The interior will have the sole role of breaking apart the interior of the pocket, giving Wilson no space to step into on drop backs. The superb Andrew Billings will have this job, as well as Justin Jones, Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens.
An effective pass would do much to mask the weaknesses of the defense, and be a major factor in a Bears win.
