Chicago Bears Early Look Week 3: New York Jets
Sep 14, 2014; Green Bay, WI, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker (87) signals a first down after making a catch in the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Overview: The New York Jets are now 1-1 after bungling an early 21-3 and falling to the Bears’ arch-rival Green Bay Packers 24-31. Coming off their own stunning come from behind victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night has to have Bears fans in high hopes headed into this game, but I would caution against dismissing the Jets as the Butt-fumbling, mistake-prone team we’ve all seen the past few years. I view the Bears and the Packers as very similar teams this season, with both having a potent offense and a pair of defenses that have seen better days. The Jets put up 110 yards on the ground in the first half against the Packers, and nightmares about that happening to the Bears will likely give me some restless nights this week. Quarterback Geno Smith also looked more than competent in the first half, completing 10 of 14 passes thrown for 103 yards and a touchdown. Another key factor will be that the Bears are travelling to New York this week, whereas the Packers played Gang Green in Lambeau. If the Bears fall behind in this one early, I’m not sure if they will have as easy of a time as the Packers did making a comeback.
Injuries: Wide receiver Eric Decker definitely headlines the Jets’ injury report this week, as he injured his hamstring in the final minutes of the Green Bay game and will undergo tests this week to determine the severity of the injury. This injury is especially significant because the Jets have very little depth at the wide receiver position. If Decker misses the game this week, the most likely starters would be Jeremy Kerley and David Nelson. Kerley is a small, shifty wide receiver who would likely be best served by playing in the slot, while Nelson is a big wide receiver for whom the Jets are his third team after starting his career with the Buffalo Bills and being cut by the Cleveland Browns during the 2013 offseason. All in all, if Decker can’t go on Sunday the Bears will likely have a much easier time stacking the box and shutting down the run like they did against the 49ers.
Key Matchups: The matchup that is causing me the most worry this week is in the trenches. The Jets boast an extremely talented front seven featuring two of the best young Defensive linemen in the NFL, in 2013 All-Pro Muhammad Wilkerson and last year’s defensive rookie of the year Sheldon Richardson. With injuries hurting the Bears’ offensive line and the run game already struggling, I don’t need to tell you this could have disastrous results. I don’t see the Bears’ wide receivers having too much difficulty matching up with the Jets’ secondary, but that depends on whether or not Jay Cutler has enough time to throw. If the Bears fall behind early in this one and are forced to abandon the running game again, they could be in for a long night.
The Way I See It: I don’t think anyone could call the Bears underdogs in this one, but it’s far from a foregone conclusion. The Bears haven’t shown me enough consistency yet this season to talk about them running away with anything, and the fact that the Jets gave the Packers a run for their money lets me know they’re dangerous. It will be interesting to see the Bears’ game plan this week, and how they handle the emotions from their stunning victory on Sunday Night. Marc Trestman has his work cut out for him this week. This is not an airing of a Monday Night Football that I would care to miss!
What do you guys think? Will the Bears overcome the hiccups that have plagued them during the first two weeks, or will Gang Green jump out to another early lead and keep it this time? Let me know in the comments section.