If Chicago eyes their fourth straight win in Week 7, it won’t just be on Caleb Williams’ arm -- it will be on the back of the offensive line, and more specifically, the man anchoring it: veteran guard Joe Thuney.
Looking at the Bears' offensive structure, and more specifically, where they found their most success in their Week 6 win over the Washington Commanders, Chicago didn’t hand Thuney a hefty contract this offseason just to serve as another name on the depth chart.
They traded and signed him because he’s one of the most polished, technically consistent interior linemen in football. This steadying force helped both New England and Kansas City win Super Bowls by keeping quarterbacks clean and paving lanes for a rotating cast of running backs.
His arrival in Chicago was as much about setting a tone as it was about filling a need, and allowing him to continue to set the tempo is an easy way to success for the Bears' offense.
And that tone was loud and clear last week against what was a stout Washington Commanders front. Chicago ran the ball downhill with confidence, imposing their will at times behind Thuney’s side of the line.
His ability to control leverage, reset the line of scrimmage, and finish blocks turned what could’ve been a slow, monotonous approach to the run game, into a statement performance from the Bears’ running attack.
Now comes another test that has received minimal coverage.
How can Thuney hold up the Saints' defensive line from breaking through
The Saints enter Week 7 ranked in the upper half of the league in nearly every major run defense category. They’re gap sound, they rally to the ball, and they don’t give up easy yards between the tackles.
On paper, it’s a tough matchup -- but it’s also exactly the kind of battle Chicago brought Thuney in to win.
His value isn’t purely physical. Yes, he’s strong enough to uproot defensive tackles and quick enough to reach linebackers at the second level.
But what makes Thuney special is his cerebral playstyle. He diagnoses stunts, adjusts protections pre-snap, and communicates with the rest of the line like an on-field coach. For a young quarterback like Williams still growing as a field general, having that kind of stabilizing force directly in front of him is priceless.
In games like this -- tough defensive front, loud environment, high leverage -- veteran offensive linemen either set the tempo or get swallowed by it.
Thuney has never been the latter.
Whether it’s duo, inside zone, or pin-and-pull concepts that dominated the Commanders, expect the Bears to lean heavily on the left side, letting Thuney take over drives with physicality and precision.
If Chicago is going to keep the Saints’ pass rush honest and prevent Williams from facing third-and-long after third-and-long, the run game has to control the flow. And if the run game is going to hit its ceiling, it’s going to hit through Thuney.
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He’s not the flashiest name on the roster, linemen rarely are, but he could be the one who flips Week 7 on its head.