Chicago Bears: 3 Keys to an upset over the Browns

As the Chicago Bears get ready to take on the Cleveland Browns this Sunday, they open the game as a 7.5-point underdog. We have now seen a total of eight quarters from the Chicago Bears and can get an understanding of what will cause this team to lose games, and what we need to see in order to get a win.

The news we have all been waiting for did finally break — Justin Fields will start this Sunday in his first career NFL game. We know the talent he possesses, but everyone else needs to do their jobs in order to get a win. Against a Cleveland team that has Super Bowl aspirations, an entire team effort is needed to get a win.

Chicago Bears keys to win vs. Cleveland Browns

Bears keys to victory  No. 1: David Montgomery could be Fields biggest help

Through two games in the 2021 season, David Montgomery has looked like a top-10 back in the league. He is an elusive back who can run in between the tackles and never goes down on first contact. His receiving game has always been overlooked and he is very versatile in route running.

With Fields going up against a tougher defense in Cleveland, opening up the running game and utilizing it often will be key.  The play-action pass attack worked well for Fields during the preseason, clearly using his athleticism and speed against the pass rush of the Browns may make this easier on this offense.

Bears key to  victory No. 2: The defense needs to be stout

The Browns offense offers plenty of similarities to that Rams offense in Week 1 — a strong run attack combined with pre-snap movement and play action that allows deep shots downfield. This running game might be one of, if not the best in the league. With a two-headed approach between Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. The two backs feature a downhill power attack from Chubb.

Chubb is difficult to bring down similar to how Montgomery is difficult to bring down. Hunt offers more versatility with his receiving game, but that doesn’t mean he cannot take those handoffs and create running space. In 2017, Hunt led the league in rushing while with the Kansas City Chiefs. Head coach Kevin Stefanski, who is the team’s offensive play-caller, has used the running game to accommodate Baker Mayfield.

The Bears’ defense through these couple of weeks has been very prone to giving up the deep ball. Cleveland accounts for having an improved offensive line and speed at the receiver position, all things that point to a potential for big plays downfield.

Not having allowed a 100-yard rusher this season, and allowing the fewest rushing attempts, the defensive line needs to help out the Chicago Bears secondary from allowing those deep plays. Although Cleveland’s receiver position still remains up in the air, guys like Rashard Higgins and Anthony Schwartz have the speed that is capable of big plays downfield. Guys who have been around this defense primarily in the secondary and middle of the field, like Roquan Smith and Eddie Jackson, will have to hold this defense to the same standards as last week.

Bears key to victory No. 3: Play to Justin Fields’ advantages

After the Bears win over the Bengals last weekend, a question was asked if there were any limitations towards what Fields can do in terms of the playbook. Matt Nagy went ahead and answered, “no, the entire playbook was open”.

Clearly, in a rookie’s first action in an NFL game, you expect ups and downs. Now that Fields has gotten an entire week of first-team reps and preparation for this Sunday, the game plan should be more to Field’s advantage. So much of former Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky landed on Nagy not playing to his strengths.

As much as this is a big game for Fields, it may be even bigger for Nagy. Seems as though wanting to start Fields was sooner than expected for Nagy, in a way that some feel he possibly may not be ready to coach him. I guess only time will tell come Sunday afternoon against the Browns.