Chicago vs. New Orleans: 5 Things the Bears Must Do to Beat the Saints

The Bears are coming off of an impressive victory over the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday, but they shouldn't let their guard down; this will be a much stiffer test.

It's not that the Falcons aren't a good team—they are—it's just that the Saints have a better QB and a better offensive line.

But their defense can be exploited, as the Green Bay Packers have discovered.

So, exactly what do the Bears need to do to beat the Saints on Sunday? I'll take a look at some of the main ways that the Bears can beat New Orleans, but feel free to add your own methods in the comments below.

Here we go...

Use the Screen Pass to Counter the Saints' Pass-Rush

The Bears have a great weapon in Matt Forte, and I'm not just talking about his ability to run the ball.

Forte catching short screen passes out of the backfield is a great weapon for Chicago. Last Sunday, he contributed 90 yards receiving in addition to his 68 yards rushing.

So what does this have to do with the Saints' defense?

Well, the Saints can't generate a solid pass-rush from their front four, so they stack the line with a bunch of pass-rushers.

However, several successful screen passes will eliminate the Saints' tendency to rush safeties and outside linemen.

In other words, they will respect the short pass enough to drop more players into coverage.

And with a lesser pass-rush, the Bears' offensive line will be able to protect Jay Cutler enough to allow him to find open receivers and create some big plays.

Score Points!

New Orleans is not a team that you are likely to beat 10-0. It's possible, of course, but highly unlikely because the Saints have a high-powered offense led by an elite QB in Drew Brees.

Even in the loss to the Packers, Brees passed for three TDs and more than 400 yards, so the Bears had better be able to score some points Sunday if they are going to beat the Saints.

Look, the Bears won't be able to settle for field goals in the red zone. Their tendency not to score touchdowns inside the red zone is a problem that cannot continue if the Bears are to beat New Orleans Sunday.

Establish a Strong Running Game

Last Sunday, the Bears' running game was not very good, despite Matt Forte's 4.3-yard average. If you take away the biggest gain, Forte averaged just more than two yards per carry.

Look, I know that all runs count. Still, I'd like to see more running plays to eat up the clock and keep Drew Brees off the field.

This extends to Cutler as well.

He did not have any designed running plays last weekend, and in my opinion, that is where Cutler excels. Sure, he has a rocket arm, but he throws well while on the run, and his ability to move in the pocket has always been one of his strengths.

But we all know that offensive coordinator Mike Martz likes his QBs to stay in the pocket, but against the blitzing Saints, Cutler better be allowed to take off if his receivers aren't open.

Rally Around Brian Urlacher

Football teams rely on emotion, and while Urlacher's mother dying is a tragedy, they can turn this into a positive for the team on Sunday.

Since Urlacher is going to play, as he returned to practice on Thursday, why not dedicate the game to his mom, who passed away unexpectedly.

Urlacher is a team leader and a well-respected veteran on the team, so I'm sure they would like to win this game in his mom's honor.

Look, I'm not suggesting anyone exploit this, as a loss of life is a tragedy and is much more important than a football game.

But anything to get this team up to playing the Saints is a positive and I'm sure is something his mother would appreciate.

Offensive Line Needs to Contain Saints Blitz-Happy Defense

The Bears' offensive line gave up five sacks in the win against Atlanta.

The question is, did the Bears' O-line do a better job last week, or was the Falcons' pass-rush that bad?

Look, the Bears' line is better than last year, but Gabe Carimi will make rookie mistakes, and left tackle J'Marcus Webb is a work in progress.

Still, if the Bears balance the offense between the run and pass, the line will do better than if they have to block for the pass all the time.

New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams likes to throw all kinds of formations and blitzes, and he is a gambler. This means that the Bears' O-line will be tested like never before.

The ability to protect against the blitz-happy Saints defense will be key because the Bears will need to score points,

Specifically, Williams will show a 3-4 look with Turk McBride lined up as a 5-technique DE and OLB Scott Shanle lined up in a 2-point stance next to him, ready to rush the passer. So Webb had better be ready.

Gregg Williams will also throw blitzes up the middle to test the awareness of the interior line, so Chris Williams had better continue his improved play.

But the key will be how center Roberto Garza responds to line calls and blitz recognitions. He will need to neutralize Shaun Rodgers.

In addition to the linemen, the TEs, backs and WRs will need to step up as well. If so, Cutler can have a big day.