Keys To Victory: Can the Chicago Bears Pull Off A Week One Upset?
By Usayd Koshul
2. Use Trey Burton and Tarik Cohen to exploit holes in the Packers defense
All offseason, everyone has been focused on the Bears biggest addition to the offense: Allen Robinson. However, the Packers know what Robinson is capable of. Even though Robinson’s 2017 season ended due to a torn ACL, he’s still fairly young (25 years old) and impressed when he practiced.
However, in this game, using the size of Trey Burton and the speed of Tarik Cohen are what can help this team. During the Bears preseason game against Denver, Burton and Trubisky connected four times for 45 yards, averaging 11.3 yards per reception.
On Sunday night, using Burton’s size (6’3’’, 235 lbs) is one way that the Chicago Bears can exploit the Packers. With Clay Matthews likely lining up on the left side of the field, Green Bay will likely Nick Perry on the right side. In situations where Perry is asked to rush the quarterback, Burton will likely be covered by a safety, meaning Burton will be matching up against a smaller player.
On the other hand is Tarik Cohen. Cohen did not flash a lot in the preseason. However, he is expected to have his own playbook within Matt Nagy’s offensive system.
With Cohen expected to be a major part of the offense in 2018, his speed can allow for the Bears to have big plays. In Matt Nagy’s system, a short pass can easily turn into a big gain if everything goes right. In the game against Denver, Cohen was seen running a short drag route, which would have likely resulted in a big gain.
If the Bears can get Cohen the ball about 11 or 12 times a game, then he can easily develop into a centerpiece of the offense and be the spark the Bears will likely need on Sunday night.