Chicago Bears: 5 Things to Watch for in Week 1

Kyle Long & Josh Sitton

Chicago’s offensive front will have the same five players starting this season as it did the last. However, guards Kyle Long and Josh Sitton will be swapping spots this year. For Long, this will be the third spot along the offensive line that he will be playing in his now fifth year in the NFL. As for Sitton, he will be back in the position that he previously played while with the Green Bay Packers—this is also the spot where Sitton earned three Pro Bowl nods.

Along with second-year center Cody Whitehair, the interior of the Bears’ O-line will have to find a way to contain Atlanta’s 346-pound defensive tackle Dontari Poe. Formally with the Kansas City Chiefs, Poe will now be playing in a 4-3 scheme, instead of the 3-4 alignment that he played in while with the Chiefs. Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn did say this offseason that Poe was a good fit for their defense. Hopefully the flip-flop of Long and Sitton will not only strengthen Chicago’s offensive front, but also keep Poe from clogging the middle against the run.