Chicago Bears Week 1 Preview: 5 Keys to Success vs. Atlanta Falcons

Any football fan could look at the Bears schedule and see that the first quarter of it is very tough. If the Bears want to win their season opener against the Falcons, there are a couple things that they must do.

The Bears are coming off a season in which they made it to the NFC Championship Game, and to get back to this game it is imperative that they have a strong start to the season. With a season that starts off with the Falcons, Saints and Packers, that is not an easy task to do.

Beating the Falcons at home is a must and the Bears have to know this. To start off 0-1, then travel down to New Orleans, which is arguably the toughest place to play in the NFL, and then have to play the defending champs would make an 0-3 start very likely.

For the Bears to go out in Week 1 and make a statement win, here are five things that they must do:

5. Slow Down the Rushing Attack of Falcons

It's obvious that the strength of the Bears has been and will continue to be their defense. Last season the Bears had one of the best rushing defenses in the NFL and they will need this to continue if they want to beat the Falcons.

The Falcons have a very sturdy running game, led by running back Michael Turner. Last season Turner had 1,371 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. Outside of Turner however, the Falcons could not run the ball that much. If the Bears can find a way to slow down Turner, then they could put a kink in the Falcons offense.

When the Bears played the Falcons in 2009, they limited Turner to only 30 yards on 13 carries. The Bears will need to replicate this performance if they want to come out with a win in Week 1.

4. Avoid Injuries at Linebacker

The Bears currently have six linebackers on the roster, but only four of them are realistic NFL players at this point. In years past the Bears have seen linebackers get serious injuries early in the season and cannot afford for this to happen his year.

In 2009 the Bears lost Brian Urlacher in the first game of the season; a loss of that magnitude would be devastating for the Bears in 2011.

The Bears have a solid linebacker crew with Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Nick Roach, but they do not have much depth at all. Solid play is needed from the Bears in Week 1, but more than anything they cannot afford to get injured.

3. Run the Ball

While the Bears have to slow down the Falcons running game, it is incredibly important that they establish a running game as well.

The Bears offense becomes stagnant when they try to be pass happy and throw the ball all over the football. Bears football should be about establishing the run first and then letting the pass open up.

Matt Forte is a very good back and he is ready to have a huge season in 2011. Forte's 4.5 yards per carry in 2010 was the highest average of his career and if this momentum carries over into 2011, then the Bears will be in good shape.

Instead of having Jay Cutler throw the ball 30-40 times, the Bears need to establish the run early and run often. Let Matt Forte prove that he is worthy of a new contract.

2. Get Pressure from Defensive Line

This is a very realistic step for the Bears, but it is one of the more important. If Matt Ryan's 42 pass attempts in one half during the preseason is any indication of what is to come from the Falcons, then the Bears need to be ready to defend the pass.

With an aging Charles Tillman, cornerback would not be the Bears' most talented position on the field and it is likely that the Falcons will try to exploit this. The Falcons have a stud receiver in Roddy White, who will dominate the Bears if they do not have a strong game plan.

The Bears need to get a strong pass rush from defensive ends Julius Peppers and Israel Idonije to limit the amount of time that the Falcons receivers have to run routes and Ryan can sit in the pocket.

Peppers made it routine to be in the opposing offenses backfield last season, and the Bears will need that again if they want to win Week 1.

1. Pass-Protect

Easily the one thing that the Bears have to do in Week 1 and for the whole season is pass-protect. Jay Cutler was thrown to the ground far too often last season and he needs time to throw if this offense wants to be productive.

When Cutler has time to throw the Bears offense has looked brilliant. The problem is that he rarely has had time to throw, so this brilliance has not been seen too often. Cutler was one of the most hurried quarterbacks in the NFL last season and this definitely needs to change.

A new look for the Bears offensive line has many optimistic about better protection for Cutler, but it also has many worried. Longtime center Olin Kreutz is gone, and the Bears have switched things around. The Bears are very optimistic that rookie Gabe Carimi can step in at tackle and do great things.

If the Bears want to win they need to protect Cutler and give him time to throw. The Bears may be very thin at linebacker, but everyone knows that an injury to Cutler would be the Bears' worst nightmare.