Chicago Bears GameDay: 4 Keys to victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Chicago Bears need to lean more on their rookie offensive talent

The loss to the Packers presented a few silver linings, the brightest of which potentially being the prowess of offensive skill position rookies Roschon Johnson and Tyler Scott. Both played in more of a reserve role in their respective NFL premiers, but the two 4th-round rookies combined for a productive 69 total yards, five first downs, and a touchdown on just 13 total touches.

The majority of this production came from Johnson, who averaged five yards per touch on offense. He had the highest yards per carry on the team outside of Fields, and his receiving total was fourth on the team, just two yards lower than lead back Khalil Herbert's 37-yard total. The concerning part about Johnson's performance on Sunday was that he was not called upon until the second half of play. As perhaps the most physical Bears rusher, Johnson needs to be more of a focal part, especially considering his pass-blocking abilities, a key factor heading into a blitz-happy Tampa Bay defense.

Scott is also a candidate to see an increase in playing time this weekend. With questions surrounding the availability of some of the wide receivers, Scott seems to be a highly thought of young player and could help the offense generate more explosive plays. At 5'10" and 177 lbs, Scott is a dynamic athlete and should get opportunities with the ball in his hands, especially as the offense in general looks to expand the passing attack.

The offense in general seemed to lack energy during their season opener, and these two rookies could help bring some juice and production early in the year. Again, Tampa Bay has a veteran defensive unit, but these two young players could go a long way to helping the team generate big plays on offense.