This coming Sunday, the Chicago Bears will be in search for their first divisional win of the season when they host the Detroit Lions in Week 11. The Bears (3-6) haven?t had much luck against the Lions in recent history, losing seven of the last eight matchups against them. A win is always needed for any team in the NFL, but Chicago needs this victory almost more than any other team in the league.
We all know that the Bears? defense has virtually carried the team all season long, and keeping an eye on how dominate they can be will always be essential. As for the offense, they are still trying to find some consistency in the passing game to complement a ground attack that is spearheaded by running back Jordan Howard, the fifth-leading rusher in the NFL entering Week 11.
With so much to focus on during Sunday?s battle between the Bears and the Lions, here are five of the crucial things to watch for this week.
Anthony Zettel is the player the Chicago Bears must target on the Detroit Lions defensive line
When you think of the Detroit Lions, the first thought usually goes to Matthew Stafford and the high flying offense with a defense that cannot quite get the job done. However, what is worth noting about the Lions this season is that the defense has been more efficient than the offense.
Even more, the Lions enter week 11 with one of the ten best defenses in overall efficiency. They do have an underrated secondary, led by Glover Quin and Darius Slay. However, this also can be attributed to the pressure that the Lions bring up front.
The Lions have 20 sacks this season. 10 are from two players, both edge rushers. Everyone knows Ezekiel Ansah. He has four sacks this season and was having a great season until a back injury held him out against the Browns. He is out again this week, leaving a lot of the heavy lifting on Anthony Zettel.
Zettel has already been doing some big lifting this season and has flown under the radar with six sacks, including one last week in the absence of Ansah. Zettel is a second-year breakout from Penn State. This season has he those six sacks to go with five tackles for loss, 29 tackles, and a recovered fumble.
He does not wow you with size and athleticism, but he has strong technique and power and it finds him in the backfield enough to make plays.
Where Mitchell Trubisky must improve
The talent that Mitchell Trubisky has is apparent. Now he has to show he is picking things up mentally
The growth of Mitchell Trubisky from game to game has been a roller coaster of emotion. He has not gotten off to the high flying start that a guy like DeShaun Watson did. However, let?s get real, it is not like Trubisky is throwing to Deandre Hopkins and Will Fuller either. The Bears best receiver on Sunday was acquired for a seventh-round pick just two weeks ago.The lack of talent around him, the play calling and the coaching in general has absolved much of the pressure that could have been placed on Trubisky and the team is clearly being patient with Trubisky, which is how it should always be with young players.
However, the team still needs to see week-to-week growth from their potential franchise gunslinger. No matter who his skill players are, staying stagnant or regressing as a player will have to bring red flags and questions regarding his future. Trubisky has progressed so far, last week he saw career highs in yards and attempts in an opened up offense. However, as the offense opened up, he took a career-high five sacks. Most of these can be blamed on him as well, as he has potentially shown why the Bears have been so hesitant to open things up for the rookie.
Chicago?s Kicking Situation
Earlier this week, the Bears invited kicker Cairo Santos in for a visit. Santos is formerly a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, and was released after being placed on injured reserve with a groin injury. This move might light a fire under Bears kicker Connor Barth. So far this season, Barth hasn?t been a picture of consistency, missing four field goals this year?three of which were less than 50-yard attempts. However, Barth did have his best game of the season last week against the Green Bay Packers, connecting on three field goals. It appears that Santos won?t be signed for now, but the Bears could keep him very close just in case Barth has another bad game this week.
How Effective Will Matthew Stafford Be Against Bears? Defense?
Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is one of the league?s best passers, and has had some big games against the Bears throughout his career. However, last season, Chicago managed to pick off Stafford a total of four times in the two games they played. Prior to their bye week, the Bears? defense managed to keep Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints? passing game out of the end zone, in a losing effort of course. Chicago?s 10th ranked pass defense matching up against a Detroit aerial attack that?s eighth in the league and has Stafford as the NFL?s fourth-leading passer (2,461) could be the x-factor in this game.
Will Adam Shaheen See More Balls Thrown His Way?
With the season-ending injury to Zach Miller, and the mysterious illness to Dion Sims, rookie tight end Adam Shaheen will have to be the safety valve for rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Last week, Shaheen caught two passes early in the game against Green Bay for 39 yards, but was an afterthought throughout the rest of the contest. Chicago has surprised us with a different leading receiver over the past two games?first with Tre McBride III against the Saints, then with Dontrelle Inman against the Packers. Maybe this week will be Shaheen?s turn to fill up the stat sheet.
We also must keep an eye on tight end Daniel Brown, who had two catches for 23 yards in Week 10.
How Many Offensive Snaps Will Tarik Cohen Play?
At the start of the season, rookie running back Tarik Cohen was a major contributor to the Bears? offense. However, over the past couple of games, Cohen?s role in Chicago?s game plan has reduced dramatically. In Week 8, the fourth-round draft pick was on the field for only 18 offensive snaps (five touches for eight total yards from scrimmage). Against the Packers, in Week 10, Cohen played in just 13 offensive snaps (two touches for 11 total yards from scrimmage). Although he is getting his touches on special teams as a returner, Cohen has not been given the chance to give the offense the spark that it truly needs. We?ll see if offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains will increase Cohen?s snaps or continue to hold him back.
Kyle Long
Veteran guard Kyle Long was listed as questionable on the Bears? injury list for Week 10, and only played one snap on special teams. This week, Long isn?t on Chicago?s injury list and is expected to be in the starting lineup versus the Lions. The Bears? offensive front missed the three-time Pro Bowler against the Packers, not being able to establish their running game. In addition, Chicago surrendered five sacks. Hopefully, Long?s return to the field will help improve the Bears? bread and butter on offense (which is the ground attack) when facing Detroit?s run defense that?s ranked 11th in the league.
We all know that the Bears? defense has virtually carried the team all season long, and keeping an eye on how dominate they can be will always be essential. As for the offense, they are still trying to find some consistency in the passing game to complement a ground attack that is spearheaded by running back Jordan Howard, the fifth-leading rusher in the NFL entering Week 11.
With so much to focus on during Sunday?s battle between the Bears and the Lions, here are five of the crucial things to watch for this week.
Anthony Zettel is the player the Chicago Bears must target on the Detroit Lions defensive line
When you think of the Detroit Lions, the first thought usually goes to Matthew Stafford and the high flying offense with a defense that cannot quite get the job done. However, what is worth noting about the Lions this season is that the defense has been more efficient than the offense.
Even more, the Lions enter week 11 with one of the ten best defenses in overall efficiency. They do have an underrated secondary, led by Glover Quin and Darius Slay. However, this also can be attributed to the pressure that the Lions bring up front.
The Lions have 20 sacks this season. 10 are from two players, both edge rushers. Everyone knows Ezekiel Ansah. He has four sacks this season and was having a great season until a back injury held him out against the Browns. He is out again this week, leaving a lot of the heavy lifting on Anthony Zettel.
Zettel has already been doing some big lifting this season and has flown under the radar with six sacks, including one last week in the absence of Ansah. Zettel is a second-year breakout from Penn State. This season has he those six sacks to go with five tackles for loss, 29 tackles, and a recovered fumble.
He does not wow you with size and athleticism, but he has strong technique and power and it finds him in the backfield enough to make plays.
Where Mitchell Trubisky must improve
The talent that Mitchell Trubisky has is apparent. Now he has to show he is picking things up mentally
The growth of Mitchell Trubisky from game to game has been a roller coaster of emotion. He has not gotten off to the high flying start that a guy like DeShaun Watson did. However, let?s get real, it is not like Trubisky is throwing to Deandre Hopkins and Will Fuller either. The Bears best receiver on Sunday was acquired for a seventh-round pick just two weeks ago.The lack of talent around him, the play calling and the coaching in general has absolved much of the pressure that could have been placed on Trubisky and the team is clearly being patient with Trubisky, which is how it should always be with young players.
However, the team still needs to see week-to-week growth from their potential franchise gunslinger. No matter who his skill players are, staying stagnant or regressing as a player will have to bring red flags and questions regarding his future. Trubisky has progressed so far, last week he saw career highs in yards and attempts in an opened up offense. However, as the offense opened up, he took a career-high five sacks. Most of these can be blamed on him as well, as he has potentially shown why the Bears have been so hesitant to open things up for the rookie.
Chicago?s Kicking Situation
Earlier this week, the Bears invited kicker Cairo Santos in for a visit. Santos is formerly a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, and was released after being placed on injured reserve with a groin injury. This move might light a fire under Bears kicker Connor Barth. So far this season, Barth hasn?t been a picture of consistency, missing four field goals this year?three of which were less than 50-yard attempts. However, Barth did have his best game of the season last week against the Green Bay Packers, connecting on three field goals. It appears that Santos won?t be signed for now, but the Bears could keep him very close just in case Barth has another bad game this week.
How Effective Will Matthew Stafford Be Against Bears? Defense?
Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is one of the league?s best passers, and has had some big games against the Bears throughout his career. However, last season, Chicago managed to pick off Stafford a total of four times in the two games they played. Prior to their bye week, the Bears? defense managed to keep Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints? passing game out of the end zone, in a losing effort of course. Chicago?s 10th ranked pass defense matching up against a Detroit aerial attack that?s eighth in the league and has Stafford as the NFL?s fourth-leading passer (2,461) could be the x-factor in this game.
Will Adam Shaheen See More Balls Thrown His Way?
With the season-ending injury to Zach Miller, and the mysterious illness to Dion Sims, rookie tight end Adam Shaheen will have to be the safety valve for rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Last week, Shaheen caught two passes early in the game against Green Bay for 39 yards, but was an afterthought throughout the rest of the contest. Chicago has surprised us with a different leading receiver over the past two games?first with Tre McBride III against the Saints, then with Dontrelle Inman against the Packers. Maybe this week will be Shaheen?s turn to fill up the stat sheet.
We also must keep an eye on tight end Daniel Brown, who had two catches for 23 yards in Week 10.
How Many Offensive Snaps Will Tarik Cohen Play?
At the start of the season, rookie running back Tarik Cohen was a major contributor to the Bears? offense. However, over the past couple of games, Cohen?s role in Chicago?s game plan has reduced dramatically. In Week 8, the fourth-round draft pick was on the field for only 18 offensive snaps (five touches for eight total yards from scrimmage). Against the Packers, in Week 10, Cohen played in just 13 offensive snaps (two touches for 11 total yards from scrimmage). Although he is getting his touches on special teams as a returner, Cohen has not been given the chance to give the offense the spark that it truly needs. We?ll see if offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains will increase Cohen?s snaps or continue to hold him back.
Kyle Long
Veteran guard Kyle Long was listed as questionable on the Bears? injury list for Week 10, and only played one snap on special teams. This week, Long isn?t on Chicago?s injury list and is expected to be in the starting lineup versus the Lions. The Bears? offensive front missed the three-time Pro Bowler against the Packers, not being able to establish their running game. In addition, Chicago surrendered five sacks. Hopefully, Long?s return to the field will help improve the Bears? bread and butter on offense (which is the ground attack) when facing Detroit?s run defense that?s ranked 11th in the league.
