Chicago Bears Week Four: Makes Bucs One Dimensional

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a thrilling offense. However, at this point, the Chicago Bears can capitalize on the fact that they are very one dimensional

Stopping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers passing game is a nightmare. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Desean Jackson are all nightmares down the field. When you factor in O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate across the seams, there is so much to defend.

However, where the Chicago Bears can find ease in the Tampa Bay offense is the running game. The Buccaneers are an utterly one-dimensional offense. When your one dimension is as dynamic as Tampa Bay, you can catch teams off guard. However, now with it becoming a trend, the Chicago Bears could find ease is selling out on the pass in this game.

When looking into the Tampa Bay rushing attack, it is tough to assign blame and point to a solution. The play calling, the offensive line, and Peyton Barber all have to be looked at.

First, it is tough to establish a ground game when you come out swinging through the air as they have. That is nice in building a lead. However, their defense has done just as good of a job at blowing those leads. The Bucs plan this season has to been to retaliate and play the shootout game.

On the road, on a short week and against a great defense are they going to stick to their guns. Live by the three, and die by the three is the old saying in basketball and it felt like Ryan Fitzpatrick was killing his team by the three on Monday Night Football.

While you would like to see the offense try to establish a ground game to get the group in rhythm, this just doesn’t feel like the matchup. When looking at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive line, none have shined so far this season in run blocking.

The Bucs rank 32nd in adjusted line yards, 32nd in rushing efficiency and have only been slightly above average in success rate when running to the right tackle. Who hovers over the right tackle for the Chicago Bears? Khalil Mack.

While the line is not providing big holes, Peyton Barber has also been indecisive in the holes and has not provided much for himself either. Barber has a success rate of 40%, which ranks 30th in the NFL and has an efficiency ranking of 35th in the NFL which tracks steps vs. yards gained per run.

So, for as weak as the line has been, he has also danced around for lack of success. They are not clicking on any level in this run defense.

For the Chicago Bears, the plan against the run should be simple. They have better players in every single spot. They should fill gaps and be fine.

This should leave the team with a lot of time and resources to put into the back end. The safeties should be playing back and looking to pick off passes.

The fact that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have no semblance of a balanced offensive attack should work well when playing into the hands of a defense that can beat you in so many ways.