The Chicago Bears know they have a good defense and solid special teams. What everybody is waiting for is whether their offense can show any capability at all. It hasn’t been the case through the first two games, with the unit combining for 19 total points scored against Tennessee and Houston. It is hoped the upcoming matchup with the Indianapolis Colts gives them an opportunity to gain some positive momentum. Their opponent isn’t in a good way at the moment.
Their defense has already struggled to stop the run this season, allowing over 200 yards per game. Matters got a lot worse after last Sunday when star defensive tackle DeForest Buckner suffered an ankle injury. He will miss the Bears game. If that weren’t bad enough, it could get worse. Promising 1st round pick Laiatu Latu also left the game last week with a hip injury. Joel Erickson of the Indy Star revealed that he is a game-time decision for Sunday, meaning the Colts could be down two of their best defensive linemen.
Laiatu Latu missing the game would be tough.
Buckner is Indy’s best interior pass rusher by a wide margin. His loss alone hurt them in a myriad of ways. Latu’s absence would eat into their rotation at edge rusher, forcing Kwity Paye, Tyquan Lewis, and Dayo Odeyingbo to play more snaps. Coaching staffs try to avoid this, knowing it could lead to exhaustion late in games. That is especially true if Chicago can establish any kind of rushing attack. If the rookie is out, expect Indianapolis to ramp up their blitz package.
While that may sound like bad news, given how the Bears have handled blitzes so far, it also means they could have greater opportunities for big plays. If nothing else, Laiatu Latu won’t be 100%, even if he does play. This is a situation Chicago must take advantage of.
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You would think that the Colts would be extremely hard-pressed to stop both the Bears running game and the passing game; perhaps neither one. So, this is the Bears’ critical opportunity to get on track and explore many options. The moment is now. Don’t wait for the lowly Panthers. Do it Sunday!
The news from Indy just keeps getting better. If this team is serious about getting on track, there could not be a better opportunity.