On Sunday, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs face the Chicago Bears. In keeping with DraftKings Sportsbook, Kansas Metropolis is favored to win. We welcome Invoice Zimmerman of Windy Metropolis Gridiron — our sister SBNation web site overlaying the Chicago Bears— for 5 Questions with the Enemy.
1) Why haven’t the Bears been capable of flip their fortunes round within the final decade? Is it one factor, or are there a number of components?
The fish rots on the head. Bears possession always does issues backwards. The GM and the pinnacle coach want a fantastic working relationship. That’s powerful to perform over the past decade after they fired GM Jerry Angelo in 2012 and employed Phil Emery, possession informed him he needed to preserve Lovie Smith. In 2015, when Ryan Tempo was employed, he was informed John Fox was his coach and he didn’t get to decide on. When Ryan Poles was employed in 2022, advisor Invoice Polian had narrowed the coach listing down to a few names and Poles was informed these had been his solely picks. Hopefully with new staff President Kevin Warren in place, this group begins doing issues the precise approach as a result of they definitely haven’t accomplished that for a really very long time.
2) There was a variety of speak in regards to the play of Justin Fields just lately. What’s your tackle his performances?
The way in which Fields has performed the primary two video games is definitely alarming. The excellent news is that Justin Fields acknowledges that he isn’t taking part in effectively, and based mostly on feedback he made earlier this week, he sees the identical factor we’re seeing on the market: he’s overthinking and taking part in robotic. Fields stated he needs to chop free this week and play his recreation. That’s music to the ears of Bears followers, however even when Fields is again to the explosive participant we noticed in 2022, it’s nonetheless a really tall order to enter Arrowhead and pull out a victory.
3) Who (or what) have been the intense spots of this season?
There definitely haven’t been too many, that’s for positive. By vibrant spots, I’m going to go together with a really fundamental formulation of “who has performed effectively in each common season video games up to now?” That’s a brief listing. Defensive deal with Andrew Billings has been a load within the center and is unquestionably inflicting issues for inside offensive linemen. Rookie operating again Roschon Johnson has been a vibrant spot in each video games up to now and appears like he’s going to be a extremely stable piece for this staff. tenth total decide Darnell Wright seems stable at proper deal with. He’s had ups and downs as rookies do, however the Bears aren’t giving him a lot assist in the blocking schemes and leaving him on an island and the outcomes have been robust sufficient to point out that he’s going to be a stable proper deal with on this league for a number of years.
4) How do you anticipate the Bears to assault the Chiefs protection?
The worst a part of the Bears offense proper now could be their inside offensive line. With Braxton Jones headed to IR, that’s not going to assist the bookends both. What I’d do (and based mostly on the outcomes of the primary two video games, there’s no certainty that Luke Getsy will do that), is to verify Justin Fields is transferring always. In the event that they attempt to do a variety of straight up pocket safety, Chris Jones goes to eat the Bears inside for lunch and collapse the pocket. They should roll Fields out, transfer the pocket round and attempt to preserve the defensive position off stability. That can hopefully purchase Fields a while as a result of he recurrently holds onto the ball longer than most quarterbacks, that’s not going to vary in a single day, so the Bears want to purchase Fields a while and permit him to see the sector. In the event that they preserve Fields within the pocket, it’s going to be a really lengthy day for the Bears offense.
5) The Chiefs are massive favorites. Can the Bears win towards the percentages? Additionally, who’s your tip for an anytime landing?
There’s no cause proper now to anticipate the Bears to have the ability to cowl this level unfold. I anticipate the Chiefs to win by three touchdowns. The Bears are in whole disarray. The offense is beginning to level fingers and that’s on prime of the mysterious resignation of defensive coordinator Alan Williams that has the complete metropolis questioning what’s happening and the Bears refuse to offer even the slightest bit of data on that scenario. Hopefully Fields performs extra of his recreation and the offense seems higher, however the Bears are in the midst of a 12-game dropping streak the place they’ve allowed 25 or extra factors in each recreation. There’s no cause to assume that Patrick Mahomes and this offense (regardless of their early struggles) can’t dangle a quantity north of 40 on this protection. There’s not a lot worth in Justin Fields as an anytime landing. Your greatest bets are going to be DJ Moore by means of the air, or Roschon Johnson on the bottom.
