5 Bold Predictions for the Chicago Bears' Week 6 Matchup
It was another tough loss for the Chicago Bears on Sunday in Carolina. They now shift their focus to another team that is currently underachieving.
The Bears will look toward getting back to .500 against the Atlanta Falcons. We have five bold predictions for the game Sunday.
Look for a careful quarterback, a season breakout game for a wide receiver and some interesting developments on the defensive line. Here are the five bold predictions for the Bears against Atlanta in Week 6.
Jay Cutler Will Take Care of the Football
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Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has certainly earned his reputation as a turnover-prone gunslinger. At this point, it's more shocking when Cutler takes care of the football and doesn't turn it over.
Cutler has either thrown two interceptions in a game this season or none at all. Look for him to not have an interception or fumble lost this week against the Falcons.
The Falcons come into this game having forced only two interceptions all year. Bears rookie corner Kyle Fuller has three alone this year, and the Bears have seven total in comparison.
This Atlanta defense can be scored upon, and it is not good in forcing turnovers. Even on the road, Cutler will come out of this game with a clean slate in the turnover department.
Jared Allen Won't Get a Sack...He Will Get Two
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It hasn't been the start Jared Allen or the Bears were looking for, but the notoriously slow starter can't stay down for too long.
Last season, Allen had one sack going into Week 4 before he racked up 2.5 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. If Allen wasn't slowed by pneumonia last week, he probably would have been healthy enough to get on the board against the Carolina Panthers.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has been sacked six times. The Falcons have done a decent job keeping Ryan upright but will face a healthier and motivated Allen on the kind of turf that helped him generate big plays back in Minnesota.
Ryan is the first prototypical dropback passer the Bears have seen this season. He won't move around too much in the pocket like their previous opponents. This bodes well for Allen, who desperately needs to get on the board.
Alshon Jeffery Will Have at Least Two Touchdowns
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Hamstring injuries can linger for quite some time. Over the past few weeks, you could clearly see wide receiver Alshon Jeffery was slowed by his injury.
It was against the Carolina Panthers where you finally saw Jeffery get back to his old self. He had an extra burst in his step and looked relatively healthy for the first time since Week 1.
Head coach Marc Trestman needs to get the football downfield into his playmakers' hands. Atlanta has a pair of its own stud receivers, so Jeffery and Brandon Marshall are going to look to prove who's the best.
It's time for Jay Cutler and Jeffery to start to push the ball up top. Jeffery will be opposite Robert Alford, who's a very undersized and average corner. The Bears will exploit this, and Jeffery will have a huge day.
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Lamarr Houston Will Be Benched
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As of now, the only newsworthy thing Lamarr Houston has done is go on Twitter and verbally attack fans he believed to be fair-weathered, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com.
Willie Young has been the Bears' pass-rusher, and the younger guys inside are starting to come into their own. If Jay Ratliff can get back on the field and Jared Allen can bounce back completely from illness, then Houston might have to take a seat.
The Bears are looking to win a big game with early NFC playoff implications. Both teams are looking to keep pace and need to be focused on the task at hand. Houston seems to be rattled easily, and the Bears just can't trust him right now. Roll with the hot hands and proven veterans and take away the majority of Houston's snaps.
The Offense Will Explode for 30 Points
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Gaining yards on offense hasn't been the problem for Chicago; it just hasn't generated a great deal of points yet.
The Bears are on the verge of breaking out with a huge point game as long as they stay the course and protect the football.
Like mentioned before, the Falcons aren't great at forcing turnovers, and they are giving up over 28 points per game.
The New York Giants broke out for 30 points against Atlanta, the Vikings put up 41 and the struggling New Orleans Saints had 34.
This is the perfect game for the offense to get rolling. The game will be played fast and furious, and the offense will welcome the speed and field surface. Look for a big offensive day for the Bears, but can the defense make stops?
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