Chicago Bears: What You Need to Know Heading into Week 6
The Chicago Bears have shown a knack this season for finding the banana peel. It’s been a trying two weeks for a Chicago team that has lost back-to-back games in agonizing fashion.
Trailing Green Bay by four at halftime in Week 4, the Bears failed to score another point on the way to a 38-17 loss. And last week against Carolina, the Bears led the Carolina Panthers by two touchdowns until the waning moments of the first half, only to go on and lose the game 31-24.
The Bears have been outscored 34-3 in the second half on the current two-game losing streak. Head coach Marc Trestman has been badly outcoached, too. If the Bears made any halftime adjustments against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, they failed miserably. The same goes for Carolina. The Panthers made adjustments at halftim to combat the Bears' screen game to Matt Forte. The Bears offense stalled entirely.
Say whatever you want about the defense. We all know exactly what to expect from Mel Tucker and the defensive unit on a weekly basis. So there’s no reason to be shocked when an opponent puts 31 points on the board. The defense will improve when guys such as Lamarr Houston and Jared Allen start playing better and when Jeremiah Ratliff returns from his concussion.
Chicago now sits with a 2-3 record and a road game against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is 38-10 at home since entering the league. So the Bears are staring a 2-4 record in the face if Trestman and Tucker can’t find a way to score 30-plus points while shutting down Julio Jones, Roddy White and Devin Hester. Yes, Devin Hester.
Before we get too deep in previewing the Falcons, let’s go over what you need to know heading into Week 6.
Chris Conte’s Near-Future Is Very Much Up in the Air
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Disliking Chris Conte is a very easy thing to do for Bears fans. But now is not the time to pile it on.
Conte suffered his second concussion of the season in the Week 5 loss to Carolina. Coach Trestman said Monday that Conte passed concussion protocols before re-entering the game for one final play before he left the game for good.
"You do have concerns when Chris has a history," Trestman said Monday, per ESPNChicago.com’s Jeff Dickerson. "Certainly that's relevant. ... So we're hoping for the best."
Conte has been plagued by injury all season long. He started training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list after having offseason shoulder surgery. In his first game back, the Bears’ third preseason game, Conte suffered his first concussion of the season. He then failed to finish the game in Weeks 3 and 4 due to shoulder injuries.
So what now?
While Conte is the best option the Bears have at free safety, now might be a good time to shut him down for a few weeks to gauge whether his history of concussions is an issue that could be career-threatening.
If Conte is sidelined for any length of time, expect to see more of rookie Brock Vereen and Danny McCray.
Matt Forte Is Only Good When the Bears Lose?
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Yes, you read that correctly. Matt Forte has had his best games this season when the Bears have lost. Against Buffalo, Green Bay and Carolina, all losses, Forte has 85 total touches for 506 yards and a touchdown. Against San Francisco and the New York Jets, both wins, Forte has only 36 total touches for 112 yards and zero scores.
After spending two days thinking about why this could be, there are no meaningful answers.
Now also consider this nugget: Jay Cutler tossed six touchdowns with zero interceptions in the two games Forte had little production. And when Forte has racked up big numbers, Cutler has thrown six touchdowns and six interceptions. You would think Cutler would be throwing fewer interceptions in games when Forte saw more carries and short-yardage targets.
But no.
Hopefully this trend will correct itself soon, because the Bears offense needs a turnover-free Cutler in games when Forte goes off.
In the meantime, have fun trying to figure this one out.
Sherrick McManis Likely Will Be the New Nickel Corner
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The Bears have been without the special teams ace since Week 2 against San Francisco, when he left with a quad injury.
Sherrick McManis was able to get back on the practice field last week, but he wasn’t active for Sunday’s game. With Isaiah Frey being released Tuesday, the Bears are now down a cornerback. So it would make sense that McManis is set to return this week against Atlanta.
Last season, McManis saw just 12 snaps at cornerback, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He was targeted twice, allowing one reception for 17 yards.
But McManis played well during the preseason, finishing with nine tackles and one interception. Pro Football Focus rated McManis as the 12th-best cornerback over the four preseason games.
Trestman was asked last week about McManis’ role, specifically if McManis could play in nickel sub-packages.
“I think he can, Trestman said, per Larry Mayer of ChicagoBears.com. “When we get him back he’s going to help us in some fashion, whether it’s to play the corner position and move Tim back inside. We’re hopeful he can do that as well. … “
The most likely lineup is Kyle Fuller on the right side, McManis on the left side and Tim Jennings in the slot as the nickel.
Not only can McManis make an impact on defense but the god-awful special teams unit finally will also have some veteran leadership.
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Injury Report
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Injuries still are an issue for the Bears.
Left tackle Jermon Bushrod missed Sunday’s game against Carolina after suffering knee and ankle injuries last week in practice. Coincidentally, guard Matt Slauson and center Roberto Garza both were back in the lineup after missing the previous four games. After having the same five guys start all 16 games last season, these first five games have been tough to watch at times.
Ratliff missed Sunday’s game with the concussion he suffered against the 49ers in Week 2. He returned to practice last week which lent hope that he would play. He’ll likely be on the first injury report that comes out Wednesday.
The same goes for Conte, who suffered a second concussion last week. The Bears will be cautious.
McManis also returned to practice last week. It would be a surprise to not see him on the field come Sunday in Atlanta.
Linebacker Jon Bostic suffered a back injury last week in Carolina. He was due to have more tests Monday, but nothing will be known until the injury report comes out.
In a bit of good news: Marquess Wilson is due to return from his collarbone injury in Week 10 when the Bears travel to Green Bay to meet the Packers, according to Larry Mayer of ChicagoBears.com. Peggy Kusinski of NBC Chicago tweeted Tuesday that Wilson is on schedule to return to practice next week.
NFC North Breakdown: The Packers Are Red-Hot Right Now
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Let’s take a look at the division standings, shall we?
In the two games since Aaron Rodgers told Packers fans to “relax,” speaking during his ESPN Milwaukee radio show (via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com), the Packers have outscored the opponent by a combined score of 80-27 in two big division wins.
With an inconsistent Miami Dolphins team on the docket this week, the Packers more than likely will move to 4-2 on the season.
The Detroit Lions are…well…the Detroit Lions. It’s been an up-and-down start for the Jim Caldwell-led Lions. Coming off back-to-back wins over the Packers and New York Jets, the Lions laid a big fat egg in the home loss to the Kyle Orton-led Buffalo Bills.
When the Bills came to town, so did former Lions head coach Jim Schwartz, who is now Buffalo’s defensive coordinator. That can’t be sitting well within the organization.
Detroit (3-2) travels to Minnesota in Week 6 to face the Vikings, who likely will have rookie Teddy Bridgewater back under center.
Tied with the Bears at 2-3, the Minnesota Vikings are coming off a brutal loss to the Packers on Thursday Night Football. Bridgewater was unable to play due to an ankle injury he suffered the previous week. Christian Ponder started at quarterback and played horrendously.
The silver lining on the loss to Green Bay is that it happened on a Thursday night, which gives Bridgewater a few more days to recover.
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