Bears vs 49ers: Keys to a Chicago Bears Victory

Sep 7, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback EJ Manuel (3) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Chicago Bears during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Discipline

The Bears got beat up again by the Buffalo Bills’ rushing attack, giving up 193 yards in their Week 1 loss.  The breakdowns with the run defense were not all necessarily physical errors, they were mental errors.  They were discipline errors.  It was guys jumping out of their gaps on misdirection plays, trying to do too much.  It was a defense that looked a little disorganized as they transition to Mel Tucker’s new schemes.

They say that teams make the biggest jumps when going from Week 1 to Week 2.  Let’s hope that is the case with this Bears defense.  We need to see better discipline and leadership out of Lance Briggs.  He had a few instances where he was in the wrong place.  Maybe he was still recovering from his Friday night out, as reports had him out until the wee hours just 32 hours before kickoff.  Maybe he was thinking about his new restaurant and the meat shortage.  Either way, he needs to be a leader on the defense and get all the new pieces in place.

Sep 7, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) passes the ball during the second half against the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field. Buffalo won 23-20 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Cutler Cutler Cutler

Jay Cutler got the looming question of when we’d see “Bad Jay” out of the way in short order.  All it took was one week before the careless interceptions and corresponding surly postgame presser to answer that question.  The Bears made a HUGE commitment to Cutler this past offseason and he’s got 54 million reasons guaranteed to step up his game this season.  There are no more excuses.

It’s time for the Bears to win BECAUSE of Jay Cutler, not in spite of Jay Cutler or just with Jay.

The Element of Surprise

Last season, the Bears headed to Green Bay to take on the Packers on Monday Night Football.  It looked as bleak that night as it looks this week.  Then, all of a sudden, in the Packers’ first series Shea McClellin took down Aaron Rodgers and suddenly the Packers were a lot more vulnerable.  Do you know who Collin Kaepernick’s backup is?  I had to look it up too.  It’s Blaine Gabbert.  He doesn’t scare you as much as Kaep does.

I don’t think the Bears take Kaepernick out, but it’s some random play like that that suddenly turns a game around.  Word is the new 49ers stadium has really bad turf.  The Bears are experts at bad turf.  You might say they specialize in it.  Maybe a random slip on a simple out route leads to a pick-6.  Speaking of which…

What ever happened to that Bears opportunistic defense?  Where are the Peanut punches?  A couple of key turnovers would certainly help give the Bears a surprise victory.

What do you think?  What  are your keys for the Bears to win?  Do they have any chance?

BEAR DOWN!!!