Its week two in the NFL and the Chicago Bears travel to Raymond James stadium in Tampa to take on the Buccaneers.
This will be the first game for the Bucs after their game was postponed due to Hurricane Irma. Here are the five keys to victory.
Push the ball downfield
Last week Mike Glennon didn’t attempt many throws downfield. Part of that was the scheme Atlanta played and part of it was the fact that the receivers didn’t get open. It won’t take long before defenses completely sell out to stop the run and then force the Bears to throw them out of it. The Bears need to ensure that it never comes to that.
We need an Adam Shaheen sighting.
With the loss of Kevin White the Bears receiving corps will be even thinner than ever. Adam Shaheen saw limited action last week. This needs to change and change fast. Apparently, Shaheen is having trouble adjusting to the NFL game. This should be simple for the coaches though. Just let Shaheen be a pass catcher and don’t rely on him to block. We know he can catch now it’s time for the second-round pick to step up and take on a larger role.
The offensive line needs to step up.
I think we all know now that Mike Glennon is one step faster than the statue of liberty. Because of this the offensive line needs to do a much better job protecting him. Last week he was sacked 4 times. One of the reasons the receivers were not open was because there was not a lot of time for the plays to develop downfield. The Bucs have a pretty good defensive line with Gerald McCoy and Robert Ayers but at least the Bears don’t have to see Vic Beasley again.
Produce Turnovers
Beside a busted play resulting in a touchdown I felt the Bears defense played very well against last years number 1 offense. The Bucs offense is not nearly as explosive as the Falcons but they have added DeSean Jackson. Regardless, the Bears need to take the ball away and last week they failed to do so. Getting one or two turnovers will be key in getting extra opportunities to win the game.
Stay Healthy
Its only week two and the Bears already have lost 3 starters to IR. It’s unlikely that Prince Amukamara, Kyle Long, and Marcus Wheaton will play this week so its like six starters being out already. One of the biggest things the Bears need to avoid to stay competitive is the injuries that plagued them last year.
I thought the Bears played well enough to win last week. With all the distractions of the Hurricane and displacement of the Bucs team I expect the Bears to come out and pounce early on. In addition to being a type of revenge game for QB Mike Glennon. I think the Bears will come out a victor in this weeks game. Bears win 24-17.