The Chicago Bears defense faces what may be their toughest challenge of 2017 in New Orleans Sunday against the high-powered Saints offense led by Hall-of-Fame quarterback Drew Brees.
While Brees and the passing game gets most of the attention, RB Mark Ingram is enjoying a productive season and can do damage as both a runner and receiver on any given week.
The Saints have several talented skill players who are capable of giving Bears defenders fits, and the offensive line is playing like a cohesive unit in pass protection.
Here are 4 keys for Chicago?s defense in Week 8.
Pressure Drew Brees
If the Bears want any chance at winning Sunday?s game, they have to get after Brees and force him out of his comfort zone.
Brees has been his usual elite self when his pass protection holds up. According to Pro Football Focus, he?s enjoying a 116.3 passer rating when he?s not under pressure. That number drops an astonishing 80 points on snaps that the defense is able to create chaos in the pocket.
Pay close attention to Akiem Hicks, Leonard Floyd and Pernell McPhee on Sunday. If they get off to a hot start, the Bears will be in good position to pull off the upset. If the Saints? offensive line holds up, however, it will be a long afternoon for the Bears in what could end up a blowout loss.
Get physical with WR Michael Thomas
Thomas, the outstanding second-year player from Ohio State, is Drew Brees? top wide receiver and one of the NFL?s best young pass catchers.
He thrives in the quick passing game. Over 67 percent of his targets have come on passes that are less than 10 yards deep. For Chicago to shut him down ? and disrupt the timing of the Saints? passing attack ? cornerbacks Prince Amukamara and Kyle Fuller have to get physical with Thomas at the line of scrimmage.
If the Bears are successful jamming Thomas at the snap, Brees will be forced to look to his second or third read, which will give the defensive line time to generate more pressure.
Don?t let Ted Ginn make the back-breaking play
Most of the attention in the passing game will go to Michael Thomas and rookie RB Alvin Kamara, but Ginn is a veteran wide receiver who still has enough long speed to make a game-changing play.
He?s caught 22 of his 27 targets in 2017 for 353 yards and two touchdowns and is coming off a seven catch, 141-yard game against the Packers. The Saints won that game, 26-17.
The combination of Adrian Amos and Eddie Jackson will be charged with preventing Ginn from breaking the defense?s spirit. One or two big catches by Ginn could end up the difference between a win or loss for Chicago.
Keep eyes on Alvin Kamara at all times
The Saints have their own version of Tarik Cohen in Kamara, the first-year running back from Tennessee. Kamara is averaging 6.3 yards-per-carry and has 18 catches over the last three games.
He has field-flipping speed and is as big of a threat ? if not bigger ? than Christian McCaffrey was in Week 7 against the Panthers.
Kamara?s 76.2 grade from Pro Football Focus ranks as a top-20 running back this season. He?s enjoying a better rookie year than Cohen, according to the analytics giant.
Chicago?s linebackers will deploy a similar strategy to stop Kamara as they used, successfully, against McCaffrey. Expect the linebackers to swarm when he has the ball in an effort to limit his yards after the catch.
While Brees and the passing game gets most of the attention, RB Mark Ingram is enjoying a productive season and can do damage as both a runner and receiver on any given week.
The Saints have several talented skill players who are capable of giving Bears defenders fits, and the offensive line is playing like a cohesive unit in pass protection.
Here are 4 keys for Chicago?s defense in Week 8.
Pressure Drew Brees
If the Bears want any chance at winning Sunday?s game, they have to get after Brees and force him out of his comfort zone.
Brees has been his usual elite self when his pass protection holds up. According to Pro Football Focus, he?s enjoying a 116.3 passer rating when he?s not under pressure. That number drops an astonishing 80 points on snaps that the defense is able to create chaos in the pocket.
Pay close attention to Akiem Hicks, Leonard Floyd and Pernell McPhee on Sunday. If they get off to a hot start, the Bears will be in good position to pull off the upset. If the Saints? offensive line holds up, however, it will be a long afternoon for the Bears in what could end up a blowout loss.
Get physical with WR Michael Thomas
Thomas, the outstanding second-year player from Ohio State, is Drew Brees? top wide receiver and one of the NFL?s best young pass catchers.
He thrives in the quick passing game. Over 67 percent of his targets have come on passes that are less than 10 yards deep. For Chicago to shut him down ? and disrupt the timing of the Saints? passing attack ? cornerbacks Prince Amukamara and Kyle Fuller have to get physical with Thomas at the line of scrimmage.
If the Bears are successful jamming Thomas at the snap, Brees will be forced to look to his second or third read, which will give the defensive line time to generate more pressure.
Don?t let Ted Ginn make the back-breaking play
Most of the attention in the passing game will go to Michael Thomas and rookie RB Alvin Kamara, but Ginn is a veteran wide receiver who still has enough long speed to make a game-changing play.
He?s caught 22 of his 27 targets in 2017 for 353 yards and two touchdowns and is coming off a seven catch, 141-yard game against the Packers. The Saints won that game, 26-17.
The combination of Adrian Amos and Eddie Jackson will be charged with preventing Ginn from breaking the defense?s spirit. One or two big catches by Ginn could end up the difference between a win or loss for Chicago.
Keep eyes on Alvin Kamara at all times
The Saints have their own version of Tarik Cohen in Kamara, the first-year running back from Tennessee. Kamara is averaging 6.3 yards-per-carry and has 18 catches over the last three games.
He has field-flipping speed and is as big of a threat ? if not bigger ? than Christian McCaffrey was in Week 7 against the Panthers.
Kamara?s 76.2 grade from Pro Football Focus ranks as a top-20 running back this season. He?s enjoying a better rookie year than Cohen, according to the analytics giant.
Chicago?s linebackers will deploy a similar strategy to stop Kamara as they used, successfully, against McCaffrey. Expect the linebackers to swarm when he has the ball in an effort to limit his yards after the catch.
