The Arizona Cardinals are a better team than the Chicago Bears at this point, and no one is really even arguing that the team will pull off an upset. However, we have seen plenty of craziness this year, and most of it can be attributed to the great teams still being flawed in some ways.
For the Arizona Cardinals, their flaw is their run defense. On a down-to-down basis, they can be fine, but their biggest issue comes at the second level. They allow the most explosive runs in the NFL, with 46, and a 17% explosive run rate allowed.
The next closest team is at 42, and 14%, so there is a gap between 31 and the Cardinals sitting at dead last. The Chicago Bears obviously are not going to win games on the back of their offense, but their run game has certainly improved.
David Montgomery has been a step lighter every year he has gone in the NFL, and with Khalil Herbert in the mix, they have two runners who can get into the open field, which is something that they have not had in years past.
The Chicago Bears currently rank ninth in explosive runs. Their offensive line ranks 14th in allowing running backs to get into the second level. They are not quite elite, but they do have the advantage of being above average, and top ten against a group that ranks dead last.
This obviously can have its ripple effects as well. An explosive ground game can put points on the board, but from there they can continue to pick up first downs, and eventually slow the game down. The Bears do not have the defense to hold Kyler Murray, but if the offense can run the ball and slow the game down it can go a long way.