Bears’ Keys to Victory Against Rams
The Chicago Bears host the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field on Sunday in a critical early-season showdown. The Bears are on a two-game skid and looking to keep pace in an NFC North Division with all three other teams above the .500 mark through three games. The Bears expected there to be learning curves with a rookie quarterback at the helm, but they are going to need to see improvement this week against a Rams team that is riddled with injuries. Here are the top three keys to victory for the Bears against the Rams on Sunday.
1. Quality Offensive Line Play
The Bears are near the very bottom of the league in many offensive categories, and a large reason for that has been the inconsistent play of the offensive line unit. The run game has been largely nonexistent regardless of who takes the carries, and Caleb Williams has been running for his life in his first three NFL games. The Bears have the weapons on the outside with DJ Moore, Kennan Allen, and Rome Odunze, but to get them going effectively, Williams needs to have the proper time in the pocket, which he has yet to have this season. The offensive line is going to need to win the line of scrimmage against a very good Rams defensive front if they want to have success on offense.
2. Get The Run Game Going
One of the biggest free agent signings for the Bears this offseason was acquiring running back D’Andre Swift from the Eagles to accompany Khalil Herbert in the backfield. However, the Bears rushing attack has been nowhere to be found so far. A large portion of the blame for that can be pointed at the offensive line mentioned above, but the running backs have not done themselves any favors when it comes to picking the correct gaps and not being patient enough in the run game. The chemistry between the offensive line and the running back group does not seem to be there yet, and that is a major issue when trying to establish a solid run game. Another critical aspect of this is that a good run game is the best thing for a rookie quarterback to get comfortable in the flow of an offense. If the Bears can establish a good run game against the Rams, that will allow Williams to settle in and not feel like he has to make hero plays all game, which can often result in reckless turnovers.
3. Get Points on the Board Early
The Bears have fallen behind in the first quarter of all three games so far to start the season. They have the least amount of first-quarter points in the NFL, and they are yet to hold a lead in the first half of a game. Having to constantly fight your way back into a game in the second half is not only exhausting, but it is not attainable through a full 17-game NFL season. The Bears need to find a way to get off to a good start early in this game so they can allow their very good defense to play with a lead for the first time. Also, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has had the Bears' number in his career, so it could get ugly for the Bears if he starts to light it up, and Chicago has to play catch up. On the bright side, the Bears get Keenan Allen back this week, so hopefully, he can help the offense get going. Also, Chicago leads the league in fourth-quarter points scored, so the offense has proven to get better as the game moves along, but there needs to be more efficiency early on in the game on Sunday.
