Keys To Victory: Can Chicago Bears Right A Sinking Ship?
By Usayd Koshul
4. Start Aaron Lynch In Place of Khalil Mack
In press conferences on Friday, Head Coach Matt Nagy stated that the Bears would be smart with Khalil Mack and take things day-by-day. With Mack listed as questionable, Nagy stressed the importance of making sure Mack was completely 100 percent, before having him suit up ahead of Sunday’s game.
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If Mack isn’t fully healthy for Sunday, then starting Aaron Lynch in place of him could be a major difference maker for this Bears. After totaling 12.5 sacks in two years with the San Francisco 49ers between 2014 and 2015, Lynch massively regressed and had just 2.5 sacks between 2016 and 2017. Now, he seems to be enjoying a nice career resurgence after reuniting with Vic Fangio.
So far in 2018, Lynch has two sacks, two tackles for loss, and five quarterback hits. In limited playing time, he’s shown that he can be a difference maker in key situations.
While most fans would argue otherwise, starting Lynch in place of Mack gives Chicago’s most important defensive player a chance to rest. Additionally, with the playoff race beginning to heat up all across the NFL, the Bears will need Khalil Mack more when they play the Rams, Packers, and Vikings in a few weeks. Games against those teams are what could make or break the Bears playoff hopes.
Lynch has shown some starter potential and by starting
him on Sunday, the Bears know they’ve got someone who’s a solid and very underrated contributor.