Chicago Bears: 5 Things to Watch for in Week 1
Kevin White
Alshon Jeffery flew the coop to play for the Philadelphia Eagles, and Cameron Meredith is out for the year with a torn ACL. It is now time for the Bears’ newly appointed No. 1 wide receiver Kevin White to step in. White has yet to live up to the expectations that came with being the seventh-overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, due to suffering season-ending leg injuries in each of his two previous years in the league. White showed very little in the playing time he had in the preseason, which still leaves some doubt of his ability of being the primary target in the passing attack.
White and the rest of the Bears’ offense will be facing a Falcons defense that was 28th in the NFL in defending the pass, and also surrendered 31 touchdowns in the air (fifth-most in the league). In addition, Atlanta’s defense allowed six players to gain at least 100 yards receiving in a game, three of which were wide receivers. The return of one-time Pro Bowl cornerback Desmond Trufant may come in handy for the Falcons in trying to contain White. However, if Atlanta is anything similar to what they were last year in pass defense, White just might have the breakout game he needs to prove that he can be the man in the passing game.