Chicago Bears: 10 random thoughts heading into Week 7 vs the Bucs

The only way the Chicago Bears win this game is by hitting Tom Brady

The Chicago Bears lead the NFL with 21 sacks on the season. Well, to be fair, they are now tied in that department with the Minnesota Vikings. Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn have led the way with 6.0 (Mack) and 5.5 (Quinn) sacks — essentially half of the team total.

We saw what getting to Tom Brady can do last season. These two need to be on top of their game in this one if the defense is going to have any chance at making enough noise for a win. Akiem Hicks missed time in the loss to the Packers and did not practice yesterday. If he is unable to go on Sunday, then the Bears will need to rely on rookie, Khyiris Tonga and madman Mario Edwards. Both need to step up their game to have a chance at a win.

Edwards needs to keep his head on straight. That might be the most important factor as he’s helped set the team back on a few occasions with his unsportsmanlike penalties. That said, I’m irritated with the way the one call went versus the Packers and I don’t blame Edwards for that reaction after Aaron Rodgers was grabbing Edwards’ facemask after the whistle was blown.

The problem here will be that Tom Brady knows this offense better now than he did five weeks into his first regular season with the Bucs. Brady does a great job dissecting defenses and getting the ball out quickly. Darnell Mooney leads the Bears with 306 receiving yards. He’d be fourth on the Bucs in receiving yards. The three that would be ahead of him each have 100 yards more than Mooney.

Even if the front seven can get to Brady, it is likely that he still dominates the Bears secondary who has struggled mightily this season outside of Jaylon Johnson. I don’t see this going well for the Bears and it’s likely they fall to under .500 on the season.