John Martinez Pavliga – FlickrChicago Bears
Finally, it is week one of a new NFL season, where hopes are high and we who love the sport finally have something of substance to talk about. The pointless speculation and preseason prognostication can finally be laid to rest and actual competition and performance can take over. The season officially kicks off Thursday with the Green Bay Packers facing off against the Seattle Seahawks. However, for Chicago Bears‘ fans, we’ll be waiting for Sunday when the Bears host the Buffalo Bills. Here are some of the key elements to look for in the season opener:
Defensive Debut: The Bills should be a good first test for the new and improved Bears’ defense. Buffalo has been mostly a running offense in the past with CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson coming out of the backfield, so Chicago’s defensive front should get plenty of opportunities to prove they are no longer the league’s worst run defense that stunk up stadiums all last season. The Bills aren’t a one trick offense anymore, though. With the 4th overall pick in the draft they added athletic wide receiver Sammy Watkins, whose play-making ability should make him a favorite target of EJ Manuel this Sunday and for the foreseeable future. Watkins is recovering from a preseason rib injury that may make him a little more cautious going for the risky one-handed grabs and jump balls that defined him in preseason. Manuel has been inconsistent thus far in his career as well, and if new defensive ends Jared Allen and Lamarr Houston can pressure him early then we could see the havoc wrecking, turnover causing, Bears of old show up.
Under Pressure: What the Bills may lack elsewhere, they make up for with a very good pass rush. Mario Williams had one of his best seasons last year with 13 sacks. He will mix in with the rest of the front 4, that consists of no slouches either. It could be a tough test for the Bears O-line to hold and control this group and keep Jay Cutler upright. Most under the spotlight will be second year right tackle Jordan Mills. Mills missed the entire preseason with an injured left foot, so he hasn’t played a game since the heartbreaking season finale against the Packers when he first fractured the foot. Mills is cleared for Sunday’s game but he’ll have to get back up to speed in hurry against this group. On the positive side, if Mills and the rest of the guys can control the line of scrimmage they don’t have to worry about the Bills leading tackler from last year, linebacker Kiko Alonso, who is out for the season after tearing his ACL during off-season workouts. Regardless, the key will be keeping Cutler protected and opening holes for Matt Forte to run through. If Chicago’s front 7 can do that, much like they did last season, then the Bills defense can be beaten readily.
Better Safe Than Sorry: Chicago looked all over for help at both safety positions this offseason, bringing in just about any free agent they could to upgrade the group. Coach Marc Trestman has announced he now plans to rotate Ryan Mundy, Danny McCray, and Chris Conte at both positions during the game, with rookie Brock Vereen expected to see some time as well. Mundy and McCray are listed as the starting strong and free safeties, respectively, but because they also have roles on special teams the rotation will be in effect in order to avoid overworking them. Conte is recovering from a concussion suffered during the preseason debacle against the Seahawks but should be cleared and ready to go on Sunday. The use of Conte and Vereen is going to be interesting with Conte’s experience and Vereen’s lack thereof, but depending on who makes the plays and shows overall consistency at the position, this rotation method may force the coaches to reevaluate moving forward or make changes to the depth chart accordingly.
Final Words: History tells us Chicago has the Bills number, especially at home, as the Bears lead the series 7-4 overall and are 5-0 at home. History is not a sole determinant of success though. Offensively, the Bears need to be strong up front. The Buffalo defense is tough all around so the offensive line needs to pick up where it left off in 2013 and give the playmakers time to do what they do best. Let Cutler take his time and make good choices and give Forte room to run. Defensively, while the safety rotation may be a questionable decision, a strong showing in the trenches may be able to cover for any inconsistencies resulting from the safety-by-committee. I fully expect the Bears to struggle a little but they should win this one handily.
