(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The Chicago Bears will play the San Francisco 49ers at Soldier Field on Sunday. WBBM Newsradio 105.9's pre-game coverage begins at 9:00 a.m.
Offense
· Keep running the ball. It is what the Bears do best, and you can make a case that it’s the best thing the Bears do as a team, period.
· The Bears are getting significant run production at left and right end, so diffuse elite edge rusher Nick Bosa by running at him. Make him tackle.
· Shorten the game, and make it a trench war. That physical component breeds confidence up front and boosts overall play calling confidence.
· Would love to see QB Justin Fields make the decision to eject the pocket when he immediately sees an opening. Put the 49ers defense on its heels.
· Coordinator Bill Lazor will be tempted to dial up some deep shots on veteran 49er cornerbacks Josh Norman and Emmanuel Moseley. They are overly physical on contested balls, and have drawn the lion’s share of 11 pass interference penalties, resulted in a league high 250 penalty yards. Fields possesses a cannon arm and the Bears have deep speed. Block it up…grip it and rip it. Let’s go!
· IF the Bears want to get the ball to the tight end, and Cole Kmet in particular, it may be difficult due in part to the excellence of 49er All-Pro Fred Warner. Teams have thrown it a league low 26 times to the tight end against San Francisco, resulting in 20 catches for a league low 183 yards and two touchdowns.
· Scoring points remains the number one task for Matt Nagy’s Bears. They move the ball, but the yards per play and yards per pass play reflect a snail’s pace of progress corroding rhythm and promoting inconsistency. Scoring touchdowns will improve the sanity and mentality of the entire operation.
· San Francisco’s defense is formidable. They lead the league in forced fumbles(13), they are fifth in passing yards allowed, sixth in overall yardage permitted, and eighth on third down. On the flipside, they have only one interception, have allowed the sixth most yards after the catch, and have only 12 sacks.
Defense
· For only the third time in his career, Khalil Mack will miss a game. It’s not in his DNA to not play. A sore left foot needs a break. Hopefully, it’s a temporary absence. There is no way to miss Mack.
· His edge partner Robert Quinn is cleared to return, and the hope is he picks up where he left off. He is revitalized and impactful, and will have his hands full rushing against 8x Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams. He is questionable with ankle and elbow injuries, but a nasty dude up front.
· Creating pressure has been a strength for Bears defensive coordinator Sean Desai, and the man they call “Doc” hopes to come up with a surgical strike plan against Chicagoan Jimmy Garoppolo and rookie Trey Lance. The Bears are tied for most sacks with 21 and second in sacks per pass play percentage at 8.6%.
· Akiem Hicks looks like a go after battling a groin injury the last few weeks, and his work against the interior of the 49ers offensive line both pushing the pocket and stuffing the run will be a key to watch.
· 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan loves to run the ball and will try to stress the Bears edges with motion, cut-backs, and outside zone runs. They lost Raheem Mostert for the season, but have turned to rookie 6th rounder Elijah Mitchell, who is getting 4.7-yards/carry and nearly half his yards after contact. Mitchell ran a 4.33 40-yard dash during the pre-draft process and the Louisiana-Lafayette product is strong and physical.
· Injured tight end George Kittle is expected to return in week nine from a strained calf and that is great news for the Bears, because he is the 49ers most impactful offensive weapon and heartbeat of the unit. His blocking is superb, and his skill set dangerous.
· Garoppolo’s go-to target in the pass game is third year South Carolina star Deebo Samuel. He lines up everywhere and is a tough matchup for defensive backs. He is fourth in the league in receiving yards (648), earning 17-yards a catch. He is the top target on third down, and in the red-zone and will be used in the run game as well. Where he lines up and how he is defended by the Bears will tell some of the story Sunday.
Special Teams
· On Halloween will special teams coaches Chris Tabor and former Bears assistant Richard Hightower of the 49ers devise some tricks and treats for their struggling ballclubs? It’s possible to either steal a possession, or create some juice and bounce.
· It is also close to becoming “return season” in the NFL. The weather is changing, temperatures are dropping, and the kicks don’t fly as far. We’re not there yet, but getting close, and the Bears are gifted with edgy and dangerous return man Jakeem Grant. He is fearless and will push the limits in his decision making in order to make something happen.
· Bears kicker Cairo Santos continues to sizzle. He is in a great place mentally and physically and his leg is a weapon right now with a consecutive streak of 35 successful field goals in a row. This is where complementary football comes into play. Justin Fields and the offense must not give up field position or suffer a sack that takes them out of range, because Santos represents automatic points right now.
·Former Bears star Robbie Gould is on the injured list, but his replacement Joey Slye has made 15 of his 18 kicks and has a very strong leg. 20 of his 23 kickoffs have been touchbacks, muting the change of a big return.
INTANGIBLES
· Combined these teams have lost six-straight, so even though it is only week 8, there is heightened concern about playoff viability.
· Two months of the season has revealed weaknesses on both squads that need immediate attention, and if not fixed with strangle hopes.
· The bottom line is a fifth-straight loss for the 49ers and a third straight loss and fourth in five games for the Bears would complicate matters.
· Who wants it most? What team will get a handle on mistakes and finds a way to win? Which team will be the toughest? I say toughness and takeaways will tell the story today for the winner.
· What will the impact be on the Bears mentally if head coach Matt Nagy is unable to patrol the sideline? He won’t know until Sunday morning as he remains in Covid-19 protocol.
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