Chicago Bears LBs and Safeties will be tested Week 4

The Indianapolis Colts are known for getting their tight ends and running backs involved in the passing game. Are the Chicago Bears ready?

If there has been one weakness of the Chicago Bears defense so far this year, it would be the middle of their defense. Danny Trevathan has had some struggles early into the year, and Tashaun Gipson is a new name. Still, while we expect big plays from Roquan Smith and Eddie Jackson, those have not occurred either.

Beyond that, this has been an area where teams have been able to have some success in the passing game. T.J. Hockenson caught a touchdown against Gipson, and rattled off five catches for 56 yards, doing plenty of damage after the catch.

In Week Two, it was in comeback mode, but Dion Lewis was getting yards in chunks after the catch as well. Danny Trevathan was a prime suspect for these issues.

Then, in week three, it was issues against the two-headed attack of Toddy Gurley and Brian Hill that gave the Bears fits. Hayden Hurst caught a touchdown on Joel Iyiegbuniwe as well.

With these issues lingering, facing the Indianapolis Colts is not the best medicine. They target running backs 28% of the time, when league average is 20%. It has not just been the speed and shiftiness of Nyhiem Hines, either. Jonathan Taylor has seen some of his best work catching dump offs and roaming into space.

The Colts have been without Jack Doyle, but that only unleashed Mo Allie-Cox, a former basketball player who may have finally had the light click. You can see from the route charts over the past two weeks that they do not mess around with how the use Allie-Cox. They are going to stretch you over the middle of the field.

If Trevathan has to run with Allie-Cox that far down the field, the Bears are going to have issues. If the same issues occur getting Lewis down in space occur agains Hines and Taylor, bigger plays are on the radar.

The Colts are going to be without Parris Campbell, and Michael Pittman. T.Y. Hilton is not having the best start to his 2020. The Colts are going to test the Bears on the ground, and they are going to test the Bears with tight ends and running backs in the passing game. Look for tight ends to stretch the seams, and running backs force the Bears to make plays in space .