It’s Week 4, and the Bears are rolling into a matchup with the Raiders that’s dripping with potential — and a little desperation. Both squads sit at 1-2 and can’t afford to keep bleeding. For Chicago, this is less about surviving and more about proving something: that the young QB is growing, the trenches are stabilizing, and the defense has a damn pulse. Here’s 5 things diehards should be watching closely this Sunday in Las Vegas.
1. Caleb Williams: Time to Feast or Fizzle
Last week, Caleb Williams finally looked like the guy Bears fans were promised. 298 yards. Four touchdowns. Zero sacks. No bullshit. The rookie shredded Dallas like it was a Big 12 reunion. But now comes the critical part: stacking performances. And if there’s ever a week to do it, it’s against a Raiders secondary that might as well be waving white flags.
Let’s break it down:
- Raiders rank 20th in EPA/Play and 27th in EPA/Pass — yep, that bad.
- They’re coughing up 8.47 adjusted yards per target, second-worst in the league.
- Oh, and they give up 4.60 YAC per reception, which means defenders are getting juked out of their jocks.
This is tailor-made for Williams to go vertical, especially with Luther Burden III and Rome Odunze stretching the field. That 62-yard flea-flicker bomb to Burden last week? That wasn’t a fluke — it was a warning shot.
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What to Watch: Can Williams hit those deep shots again and stay clean in the pocket? This might be the week the kid finallly breaks 300 yards and officially cooks.
2. Maxx Crosby vs the O-Line: Time to Nut Up
Let’s not sugarcoat it — Maxx Crosby is a damn menace, and he’s pissed off after the Raiders got torched by Washington. He’s gonna come out swinging, and it’s on Braxton Jones, Darnell Wright, and the whole line to man up and handle business.
The good news? The Bears line gave up zero sacks last week. That’s real progress.
More importantly, the run game is waking up:
- 0.14 yards before contact in Weeks 1-3 ➡️ 2.41 yards before contact last game. That’s a hell of a jump.
But don’t get comfortable. Crosby is elite, and he’ll wreck this offense if they don’t double him, chip him, slow him down — whatever it takes.
What to Watch: How the line handles Crosby without completely neutering the run game. If Williams is constantly running for his life, this thing goes south fast.
3. Can the Bears’ Pass Rush Finally Wake the Hell Up?
Look, the Bears’ pass rush has been somewhere between nonexistent and embarrassing. 28th in pressure rate. 29th in win rate. Sweat? Billings? Dexter? Anybody home?
Well, here’s your big juicy opportunity. The Raiders O-line is a horror show. Geno Smith got sacked 12 times in three games, and Jeanty’s been hit behind the line on 57% of his carries. That’s not an offense — that’s a crime scene.
If the Bears can’t get pressure here, they might not get it all year. This is the moment for Montez Sweat to earn his damn paycheck.
What to Watch: Four-man pressures. If they can’t get home without blitzing, they’re toast long-term.
4. Rookie Receiver Shootout: Luther Burden III vs. Tre Tucker
Get your popcorn. This might be the most fun matchup of the week.
- Luther Burden III: 3-for-101 and a TD last week, including that 65-yard bomb.
- Tre Tucker: 8 catches, 145 yards, and 3 TDs. That’s a grown-ass man stat line.
Burden’s got game-breaking speed, and he’s already showing that when he gets a chance, he can cash it in. The question is whether Ben Johnson keeps feeding him in a crowded WR room. If he does? Burden might break this one open again.
On the flip side, the Raiders might force-feed Tucker with Mayer possibly out. Expect both guys to be in the spotlight.
What to Watch: Who steps up when the spotlight hits? Burden’s talent is obvious — now he needs consistency.
5. Injuries, Depth, and the Broken-Down Bears Defense
Let’s be real: this Bears defense is banged the hell up.
- Jaylon Johnson is out.
- Kyler Gordon and T.J. Edwards are questionable.
- The secondary is being held together with duct tape and hope.
But here’s the silver lining: the Raiders’ run game is hot garbage. They’re:
- 28th in rushing attempts
- 31st in rushing yards per game (62.0)
- 29th in rushing first downs
Jeanty’s averaging 2.9 yards per carry, and that’s WITH soft boxes. If the Bears can shut down the run (a big if after giving up 200+ to Washington), they can make Geno Smith throw into pressure — assuming there is any.
What to Watch: Can the Bears survive with a shredded secondary and force the Raiders into third-and-longs? That’s the path to victory.
Final Verdict
This ain’t just another early-season game. It’s a measuring stick. Are the Bears improving or just treading water with a shiny new QB? Can the pass rush show a pulse? Is the O-line for real or just riding one good game?
This matchup with the Raiders will expose weaknesses and spotlight growth. And if the Bears want to stay relevant past October, they better start answering some damn questions.
