Chicago vs. Buffalo: Bears Week 1 Game Preview
After months of waiting, the 2014 regular season will finally kickoff this Sunday for the Chicago Bears.
The team will look to win its fifth straight opening-day contest at Soldier Field this Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.
Chicago and Buffalo have met just 11 times since 1970 with the Bears holding a 7-4 record in the all-time series.
After allowing an NFL-worst 161.4 rushing yards per game last season, Bears general manager Phil Emery used this offseason to bolster his team's defensive line with the additions of Jared Allen, Lamarr Houston, Willie Young, Trevor Scott, Ego Ferguson and Will Sutton.
The new unit will face an early test going up against Buffalo's C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson.
Last season, Spiller and Jackson combined for 1,823 yards rushing with 11 touchdowns and averaged close to 4.47 yards per carry.
"Speed," Ferguson said Wednesday when asked about what stands out about Spiller and Jackson, via Jeff Arnold of ChicagoFootball.com. "All of them (Spiller, Jackson and quarterback E.J. Manuel) have speed. So the biggest thing for us is to be disciplined and stay in our gaps.
The Bears struggled with their discipline and staying in their gaps last season, but if they want to beat Buffalo on Sunday, they'll have to prove they have corrected their issues from a year ago.
The Bears have 54 opening-day victories, the most by any team in NFL history, and they will look to add to that total when they kick off their 95th season this Sunday.
Here is our Chicago vs. Buffalo Week 1 preview.
Chicago Bears Preseason Week 4 Recap
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Last Thursday, the Chicago Bears lost 33-13 to the Cleveland Browns in their preseason finale.
Quarterback David Fales did enough to earn a spot on the team's 53-man roster, going 13-of-24 for 146 yards with one touchdown, one interception and a 69.1 quarterback rating.
Santonio Holmes hauled in one catch for 32 yards and a touchdown before returning a punt for 30 yards. He appeared to have shown the team enough in those two plays to give him a spot on the roster, via Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times:
"Santonio Holmes now strolling the #Bears sideline without pads and his helmet. Good, productive night for him.
— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) August 29, 2014"
According to ChicagoFootball.com's Kevin Fishbain, 40 of the team's then 70 players did not dress against the Browns:
"Here are the 40 Bears who did not play tonight, beating last year's record: pic.twitter.com/RWBYEksujs
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) August 29, 2014"
With so few players playing against the Browns, it gave the Bears one finally opportunity to get a look at players fighting for a roster spot.
Defensive ends David Bass and Cornelius Washington did enough to earn themselves a roster spot over Austen Lane, while a shaky performance cost veteran tackle Eben Britton to get released, via ESPNChicago.com's Jeff Dickerson:
"To reach 53-man roster: #Bears released veterans Eben Britton, Kelvin Hayden & Austen Lane, and reached injury settlement w/M.D. Jennings.
— Jeff Dickerson (@ESPNChiBears) August 30, 2014"
Now that cuts have been made, and the team has their 53-man roster in place, the Bears will look ahead toward the Buffalo Bills in Week 1.
News and Notes
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Lance Briggs' Absence from Practice Raised Eyebrows
The Chicago Bears kicked off their Week 1 preparations for the Buffalo Bills on Monday without linebacker Lance Briggs.
Following practice, head coach Marc Trestman stated the absence was excused and had been discussed three weeks ago, via Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times:
"#Bears coach Marc Trestman said Lance Briggs' absence was something discussed three weeks ago.
— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) September 1, 2014"
While the team did not comment on it, Briggs missed Monday's practice to open his new restaurant in California, evident by this tweet he sent out on Sunday:
"Tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/9LX2tC2qK4
— Lance Briggs (@LanceBriggs) September 1, 2014"
Despite the absence being excused, Briggs' former teammate, Patrick Mannelly, did not agree with him taking off time during regular season preparations.
“There’s a limited amount of time that they have as a unit in meetings and on the practice field,” Mannelly said on the Spiegel and Mannelly Show, via Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I don’t understand why coach (Marc) Trestman let him take that day off.”
Mannelly, who played 16 seasons with the Bears, did not understand why Briggs did not use the team's off day on Tuesday to make the trip.
“Why didn’t he go today?” Mannelly said on Tuesday. “I’m floored."
For a defensive unit that still needs to jell together, Briggs may have not chosen the best time to open his restaurant.
If Briggs and the defense plays well against the Bills on Sunday, all is forgotten. But if they struggle, Briggs may receive even more criticism for his absence.
Ka'Deem Carey Will be the No. 2 Running Back
Despite struggling at times in the preseason, head coach Marc Trestman announced fourth-round pick Ka'Deem Carey would back up Matt Forte at the running back position this season, via Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune:
"Bears HC MarcTrestman: 4th-round rookie RB Ka'Deem Carey is the backup to Matt Forte.
— Rich Campbell (@Rich_Campbell) September 3, 2014"
Carey had just 27 carries for 74 yards in the preseason but seemingly did enough to win the No. 2 spot ahead of Shaun Draughn and Senorise Perry.
He has explosiveness and is a between-the-tackles type runner, but he will need to prove on game day that he is up to the task in pass protection.
With Draughn and Perry likely expected to be big special teams contributors, Carey should get plenty of reps backing up Forte.
Mundy, McCray and Conte Expected to Share Reps at Safety
After an offseason full of uncertainty at the safety position, head coach Marc Trestman announced on Wednesday that Ryan Mundy, Danny McCray and Chris Conte will all rotate at the position against Buffalo, via Bob LeGere of the Daily Herald:
"#Bears coach Marc Trestman: "We're going to rotate the safeties." Chris Conte, Ryan Mundy, Danny McCray will all play vs. Bills.
— Bob LeGere (@BobLeGere) September 3, 2014"
Trestman went on to say a big reason for having all three play in a rotation is because Mundy and McCray are expected to be major contributors on special teams, via Kevin Fishbain of ChicagoFootball.com:
"I think that one of the key advantages is we’ve got special teams duties for Mundy and McCray. They are a big part of what we are special teams-wise. And a big part of why they were brought in here was to not only have the opportunity to start but have the opportunity to play special teams. So by rotating guys in we think we can keep them fresh and create an advantage special teams-wise as well.
"
Luckily for the Bears, Buffalo did not show they could move the ball through the air very well in the preseason, but with two good running backs in C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson, the safety position is going to be expected to help stop the run.
Injury Report
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| Player | Position | Injury Status |
| Brian de la Puente | OL | Full Participation |
| Chris Conte | S | Full Participation |
| Tony Fiammetta | FB | Limited |
| David Fales | QB | Out |
*All injury statuses from Peggy Kusinski of NBCChicago.com and reflect Thursday's practice.
After suffering a sprained MCL during the first preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Brian de la Puente did not see the field during the team's final three preseason games.
Considering the Bears only kept eight offensive lineman, there is a good possibility that de la Puente will be ready to play this Sunday.
After undergoing offseason shoulder surgery, safety Chris Conte finally got on the field against the Seattle Seahawks during the third preseason game but suffered a concussion.
He was limited in practice this week but head coach Marc Trestman said Conte will be ready for Sunday, via the team's official Twitter account:
"#Bears coach Marc Trestman says safety Chris Conte is "good to go" for Sunday's season opener & has had good practices this week.
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 4, 2014"
Fullback Tony Fiammetta was limited in practice with a hamstring injury and quarterback David Fales has been ruled out of Sunday's contest with a shoulder injury.
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X-Factors and Matchups to Watch
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Chicago's Interior Offensive Line vs. Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams
Bears right guard Kyle Long was named to the Pro Bowl in his rookie season last year, but some could argue that left guard Matt Slauson had an even better year.
According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Long finished the season with a minus-1.7 grade, while Slauson finished as the team's highest-graded offensive lineman with a plus-21.8.
Long and Slauson, along with center Roberto Garza, will be faced with the difficult challenge of trying to slow down Buffalo's Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams Sunday afternoon.
According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Dareus and Williams graded out as Buffalo's two-best defensive players last season. Dareus finished with a plus-25.0 grade and Williams finished with a plus-27.8 grade.
They are terrific against both the run and the pass and combined for 22 sacks last season.
Both are stout and explosive at the point of attack, and Dareus showed off his strength against the Carolina Panthers early in the preseason in this video by NFL.com's Chris Trapasso:
"Re-watching #Bills 2nd preseason game, and seeing Marcell Dareus do this in slow-mo is scary. https://t.co/Rbztj4RLno
— Chris Trapasso (@ChrisTrapasso) August 9, 2014"
If the Bears want to protect Jay Cutler this Sunday, it is going to start up front with their interior lineman going up against Williams and Dareus.
Shea McClellin vs. C.J. Spiller
The Bears spent this offseason moving former first-round pick Shea McClellin from defensive end to linebacker.
The move has come with mixed results, but according to the team's official depth chart, McClellin is set to start against the Buffalo Bills this Sunday at the strong-side linebacker position.
While he'll be expected to matchup with some tight ends in the passing game, his biggest challenge will come in slowing down Buffalo's C.J. Spiller.
Spiller is explosive with the football in his hands, registering 933 yards on 202 carries last season. He has also proven to be dangerous as a pass-catcher, hauling in 139 passes for 1,070 yards and five touchdowns in his four-year career.
He will likely split carries with veteran Fred Jackson out of the backfield, but Spiller's speed and explosiveness will likely be the biggest challenge for McClellin on Sunday afternoon.
Bears defensive end Jared Allen knows how difficult it is going to be for the team to slow down Spiller and Jackson.
"Guys like Spiller and Jackson, they're just so quick to be able to – when you get out of your gap one second – they can jump, stop, cut, and be right back in your gap full-speed in no time," Allen said, via ChicagoFootball.com's Jeff Arnold. "It's just going to be disciplined football. We've got to tackle."
Playing disciplined football was something McClellin struggled with last season. If he wants to slow down Spiller in the running game, he is going to have to maintain his gaps and wrap up as a tackler.
Chicago's Secondary vs. Sammy Watkins
Despite injuring his ribs last week, Bills first-round pick Sammy Watkins is expected to play this Sunday after participating in Wednesday's practice, via Peggy Kusinski of NBCChicago.com:
"#Bills WR Sammy Watkins had full participation in practice after rib injury.
— Peggy Kusinski (@peggykusinski) September 3, 2014"
In an interview conducted by Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune with Mark Gaughn from the Buffalo News, the NFL beat writer was very complimentary of Watkins' abilities.
“He’s just a phenomenal physical specimen,” Gaughan said. “He plays big. Has a huge catch radius. Fast. He’s dangerous with the ball in his hands. So it’s evident he’s a great prospect long-term.”
While he has suffered through two rib injuries this preseason, he is still expected to be quarterback E.J. Manuel's main target on Sunday.
He has a tremendous combination of size and speed, and while he only played a handful of snaps in the preseason, he should figure heavily into Buffalo's game plan on Sunday.
Watkins will likely see time against both Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings, with Tillman likely possessing the best matchup for the Bears. Tillman has had a knack for shutting down big-name receivers and he has the ability to make it a long day for the rookie at Soldier Field.
Bears' X-Factor of the Week: Matt Forte
Much of the focus this offseason for the Bears has been on the team's passing attack and revamped defense, but running back Matt Forte has a chance to bust out this Sunday against Buffalo.
Despite possessing a defensive line with guys like Marcell Dareus, Kyle Williams, Mario Williams and Jerry Hughes, the Bills struggled mightily against the run last season.
The Bills allowed the fifth-most rushing yards per game last season with 128.9.
Forte rushed for just 10 yards on 10 attempts in the preseason, but he should be able to revert back to the guy who rushed for 1,339 yards and nine rushing touchdowns in 2013.
Just as Spiller can create nightmares for opposing defenses, Forte also has the ability to line up in the backfield as a running back and can create mismatches with linebackers when spread out as a wide receiver.
In six Week 1 starts for Forte in his career, he has averaged 19 carries for 71 yards, three catches for 56 yards and one total touchdown.
Because of how porous the run defense was for the Bills last season, and how much focus will be placed on stopping Chicago's passing attack, Forte has a chance to have a big game on Sunday.
Prediction
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This Sunday will mark the fifth-straight year the Chicago Bears have opened up their season at home.
The Bears have opened up at home 21 times since the 1984 season and hold an 18-3 record during that span.
While the Bears defense has gotten much of the attention this offseason because of its new additions, the offense is looking to build off their strong 2013 season.
After years of struggling to find consistency offensively, the Bears finished second in points per game last season with 27.8 and finished fifth in passing with 267.6 yards per game.
Buffalo comes into Sunday's matchup with a defense that allowed just 204.4 passing yards per game last season, fourth-best in the NFL. But after losing safety Jairus Byrd in free agency, the unit will likely take a step back this season.
The Bears are set to return all 11 starters from last season on offense, but offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer has a plan to add recently signed wide receiver Santonio Holmes to the mix, via the team's official Twitter account:
"#Bears OC Aaron Kromer on Santonio Holmes: "We have a plan for him to get in the game. We have a plan for him to be part of this offense."
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 4, 2014"
Holmes played limited snaps in the final two preseason games, but he does give the team another weapon at wide receiver alongside Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery.
The Bears should be able to score points on the Buffalo defense Sunday, but they will face the difficult task of slowing down running back C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson. If they can slow down the running game and force E.J. Manuel to beat them through the air, the Bears should come away with a victory on Sunday.
Prediction: Bears 31, Bills 20
Record/statistical information provided via email from the Chicago Bears or NFL.com.
Matt Eurich is an NFL/Chicago Bears Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
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