Chicago Bears Gameday: 3 Keys to Victory over the Carolina Panthers

The Chicago Bears need to send pressure after Bryce Young

On the other side of the ball, the Bears' defense should be focused on making Bryce Young's night as difficult as possible, mainly by pressuring the rookie quarterback. Like many highly drafted rookies, Young's transition to the NFL has had its ups and downs, but last week, the Indianapolis Colts helped lay out the blueprint on how to beat the former Alabama standout.

Against the Colts, the same team where Eberflus used to serve as defensive coordinator, Young faced a great deal of pressure, and he correspondingly declined in both efficiency and production. Specifically, Indianapolis did a great job of getting to the quarterback on third down, where Young often looked to dump it down to a receiver well short of the yard to gain.

If the Bears can get the Panthers' offense into obvious passing situations, it should be full steam ahead for a revamped defensive line that now features the recently acquired and extended Montez Sweat, who should look to play even more than he did in his debut four days ago.

Currently, Young is one of the five most sacked quarterbacks in the NFL and possesses a 1:1 touchdown-to-turnover ratio. If the Bears can increase their pass rush from recent weeks, they will be able to bring down the quarterback for a loss and potentially create turnovers either via strip sack or by hurried throws and tipped balls turning into interceptions.

If blitzing and winning up front isn't enough against Young, it is also important to note that the quarterback relies heavily on veteran receiver Adam Thielen, a seasoned player that many Bears players have faced thanks to his long tenure with the Minnesota Vikings. Thielen currently accounts for approximately 35% of the team's passing offense, so limiting how many open looks Young can get in that direction would be another way to mess up the quarterback's timing.