Week 5 keys to victory: Chicago Bears @ Indianapolis Colts
2. Put Andrew Luck under pressure early and often.
The Chicago Bears sacked Matthew Stafford twice last weekend, but they failed to put on consistent pressure. If the Bears want to win on today, they must make Colts’ quarterback Andrew Luck uncomfortable in the pocket. The Colts have surrendered at least 2 sacks every game this season.
Willie Young must be a significant factor in today’s game if the Bears want to leave Indy with a win. So far, Young has been a major disappointment after signing an extension this summer. After logging 16 sacks between the 2014 and 2015 season, Young has only got to the quarterback once this year. He failed to even get a tackle last week against the Lions. With both Lamar Houston and Pernell McPhee out, the Bears need Young to set the tone. The stars are certainly aligning for Young to have a breakout game. The Colts will be fielding two linemen who are battling injuries on Sunday.
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The Bears could also benefit from sending rookie linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski on blitzes. The rookie certainly needs to develop as a football player, but Kwiatkoski might possess the most raw power on the Bears’ defense. He is capable of putting linemen on their backsides in one on one match-ups. The Colts could have problems trying to cover up his formidable bull rush.
Regardless of who applies the pressure, Luck needs to be either on his back, or facing constant pressure. When defenses sacked Luck 2 times or fewer, he threw for 716 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 1 interception. In contrast, when the defense sacked Luck more than 2 times, he threw for 431 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Luck will dice up the Bears’ secondary if given the chance which is why the front seven of Chicago must maintain pressure throughout the afternoon.