Chicago Bears: Five Keys for Navigating Tough Winter Schedule
Coming off two big victories against Buffalo and Minnesota, the Chicago Bears have reclaimed their tentative half-game lead over their rival Green Bay Packers for control of the NFC North.
Although Chicago sits at 6-3 and appears poised for a playoff run, the Bears' future remains uncertain, as a tough schedule lies ahead for the Monsters of the Midway.
As winter descends on the Windy City, the Bears’ competition will stiffen. Five of Chicago’s next seven games come against playoff contenders: Miami, Philadelphia, New England, the Jets and the Packers. Successfully navigating this treacherous route to the postseason will be challenging.
However, if Chicago can accomplish five essential objectives in this daunting seven-game stretch, the Bears should clinch their first playoff appearance since 2006.
Objective 1: Continue To Solidify Pass Protection
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After the Week 4 sackfest put on by the Giants against the Bears, which resulted in a Jay Cutler concussion, Chicago veered precariously close to the precipice of disaster. In the estimation of fans and pundits alike, the Bears’ sieve of an offensive line was undeniably beyond repair.
But over the following five weeks, the Bears’ line began to coalesce behind the leadership of veteran line coach Mike Tice, whose unyielding faith in his big men paid off. Tice’s patience and persistence produced two solid performances against Buffalo and Minnesota, as the Bears yielded just two sacks. Behind a solid line, the offense has enjoyed a resurgence led by Jay Cutler, who now moves confidently around the pocket, knowing his linemen have his back.
The unit still has a long way to go before it can be considered a good line. The Vikings, for instance, harassed young RT J’Marcus Webb all day Sunday. Webb, a seventh-round rookie, appeared lost on several occasions, but the 335-pound behemoth soldiered on and kept Cutler upright for most of the game.
Meanwhile, LT Frank Omiyale has had a roller-coaster year. One week, he valiantly holds off a furious Dallas blitz led by DeMarcus Ware. Weeks later, against New York and Seattle, he appears completely incapable of protecting Cutler’s blindside. Omiyale must show better consistency to move to the next level and become a legitimate starting LT.
If Tice can continue to develop this young, inexperienced line, Chicago’s hopes for postseason glory will edge closer to reality.
Objective 2: Continue Giving Young Defenders Opportunities
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Chicago fans are excited about the development of two young, relatively unheralded defenders: DT/DE Henry Melton and CB D.J. Moore.
Melton, a former University of Texas defensive lineman, essentially redshirted his rookie season in 2009. However, in 2010, the former fourth rounder has earned his way into the defensive rotation. In limited opportunities, Melton has made a noticeable impact.
Against the Bills, Melton spelled an injured Julius Peppers on the final drive of the game. Melton’s pressure on the edge was instrumental in forcing an errant Ryan Fitzpatrick pass that the Bears picked off to seal the victory.
In the final seconds of the second half against the Vikings, Melton flushed Favre from the pocket and ran the future Hall of Famer down from behind to jar the ball lose, allowing the Bears to recover the fumble within Vikings territory.
Melton’s development as an interior pass rusher will be essential in generating more hits and sacks on opposing QBs.
Like Melton, CB D.J. Moore was drafted by the Bears in the fourth round in 2009. The former Vanderbilt standout certainly has the instincts to succeed in the NFL; yet, at just 5’9”, Moore appeared too short to keep up with the prototypical 6’3” NFL receiver.
However, in 2010, Moore has proven his doubters wrong. Currently, Moore’s four interceptions rank fifth in the NFL.
As a nickelback in the Cover 2, Moore has thrived in Chicago, as he always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Having an opportunistic corner like Moore on the field makes the Bears defense even more formidable. Chicago will need this additional defensive firepower against elite passers like Brady and Rodgers.
Objective 3: Continue Using Cutler’s Mobility
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A key difference for the Bears offense since the bye is the use of Cutler’s mobility inside and outside of the pocket. Against Minnesota, Cutler extended drives with his deceptive speed. He has also excelled at finding holes in coverages while on the move. On Sunday, he found WR Johnny Knox on several important conversions while on the run.
Having a quarterback that is willing and able to run the ball forces defenses to adjust their pass coverages, which typically opens up lanes for receivers down field.
Although it contradicts his normal play-calling tendencies, Martz must continue to put Cutler in positions to run the ball, especially against aggressive defenses like New York and Green Bay.
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Objective 4: Improve the Running Game
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As the cold, gusty winds return to Lake Michigan, passing the ball will become more difficult at Solider Field. In these adverse conditions, the Bears must the run ball effectively—a challenge Chicago has been unable to meet outside of the Panthers game. Moreover, as Bears fans know, Jay Cutler is prone to streaks of interceptions. Thus, it is imperative for Chicago that it has a viable alternative to the passing game.
Running backs Matt Forte and Chester Taylor are solid, versatile backs who need decent blocking to produce consistently on the ground. The Bears line has been incapable of opening running lanes so far. As a result, Chicago’s running attack remains stuck in neutral.
This trend must change to succeed against dangerous defenses like New York and New England.
Objective 5: Generate More Pressure on the Quarterback
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Chicago’s pass rush has improved leaps and bounds since 2009—a year the Bears defense was mostly incapable of shutting down opposing quarterbacks. However, on several occasions, most notably against the Buffalo Bills and the Seattle Seahawks, the Bears pass rush inexplicably evaporated. Consequently, opposing passers moved the ball well on the Bears.
With elite quarterbacks coming to town in Brady, Rodgers and Vick, Chicago must maintain a consistent pass rush to keep the opposition out of the end zone. Chicago should be particularly worried about New England, which on Sunday night demonstrated it could neutralize the mighty Steelers blitz.
As the Bears offense searches for its groove, the defense cannot afford to yield many points, and the easiest way to score against Chicago has been to neutralize the pass rush and exploit a Bears secondary that, at times, struggles in coverage.
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