CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO)-- The Chicago Bears face off with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the Bucs' home turf on Sunday. WBBM Newsradio's pre-game coverage begins at noon.
Offense
· Finding pathways to victory for the Bears is really what the Keys To the Game exercises are all about. So here, we go.
· Finding first downs and explosive plays in the passing game against a banged up secondary is the first step.
· Averaging 4.11 yards/pass attempt is not going to get it done. The Bears need more to threaten pockets of the field and score points.
· Tampa Bay’s defense is terrific up front, piling up the pressures, unleashing blitzes, and stopping the run to the tune of 3.35 yards/carry.
· This is a big challenge, but a protected and mobile Justin Fields can find time to fire some lasers in the seam to Cole Kmet, the screen game in whatever manner designed to quiet the edge rushers, and getting matchups with Allen Robinson, Darnell Mooney, and Marquise Goodwin that can exploit a secondary with backups at cornerback.
· Only eight teams in the last two years have hit 100-yards on the ground against Tampa’s defense, and the Bears have to find ways to get their ground game effectively up and running.
· Playing without star linebacker Lavonte David, means the Bears have to account for just Devin White at inside linebacker. He is an elite blitzer with rare play speed and a steady tackler. He can be picked on in the passing game if the matchup fits.
· The return of Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr means they have their stinger back in the secondary. He is a physical torpedo and an urgent player. The feisty Winfield finds big plays.
· The Bears offensive line will need to find ways to quiet the Bucs pass rush, but need help from Fields in getting the ball out quick and avoiding big sack yardage loss. The Bears have the most negative offensive yards in the league and still the lowest third down production yardage, so avoiding difficult conversions will be key.
· No team blitzes more than the Bucs and on the road in the noise and the heat, the Bears will have to adhere to their protection rules and be on constant alert and communication to protect .
Defense
· As of this writing we don’t know if Akiem Hicks, Bilal Nichols, or Robert Quinn will be able to play, and we assume Khalil Mack will continue to grind through his aches and pains and be the leader he continues to be. Whatever the case, the primary task is to make sure the Bucs don’t rev up their run game, and they must find a way to make Brady uncomfortable in the pocket.
· There is good depth up front to handle the absences, and that rotation will have to bring their lunch bucket and hard hats to work in Tampa. The offensive line of the Bucs has played together as much as any line in the league over the last two years. It is confident, sharp, and nasty led by their starting center Ryan Jensen.
· It is a battle in there with this group, also featuring second year Iowa right tackle Tristan Wirfs, who has only permitted one sack in first 22 NFL games and that was to Mack in week five last season at Soldier Field. They are very good up front, and of course QB Tom Brady makes them even better.
· It is going to be a critical day for the Bears front seven including linebacker Roquan Smith, the safeties, and the edge defenders to be on high alert for arguably the best and most successful screen team in the league right now.
· The line triggers the deception, and Brady executes his throws perfectly and for significant yardage and first downs. It is a big reason the Bucs lead the NFL in yards after the catch and have 100 plays of 10-yards or more through six games, which ranks 2nd in the league.
· Not having 33-year old Antonio Brown available is a big deal. He may be playing faster and better than he’s ever played. Brady looks for Brown when he needs a bail out throw, checkdown, touchdown, or third down play. Brown is averaging 22.0 yards/completion on 3rd down and his absence will hurt the Bucs.
· There is plenty to deal with weapon wise, and the Bears will have to play smart, avoid stinging penalties, and wrap tackle this bunch. From Mike Evans, to Chris Godwin, to Leonard Fournette, Ronald Jones, and Chicago area product Cameron Brate and fellow tight end O.J. Howard, the Bucs will impact every blade of grass.
Special Teams
· Matt Nagy is asking for a confident, aggressive, and complimentary brand of ball against the Bucs and that includes the special teams unit.
· The Bears hope to have Jakeem Grant ready to go despite a sore ankle to keep the return game percolating and the warm weather should make for a successful kicking game for Cairo Santos and punter Patrick O’Donnell.
· The Bucs put considerable emphasis on better special teams performance heading into 2021, and led by 27-year veteran coach and former Bears coordinator Keith Armstrong there is progress being made. On kick coverage alone, the Bucs are now 7th in yards allowed.
· Punter Bradley Pinion keeps things in the end zone with 30 of his 37 kickoffs resulting in touchbacks, after 85 a year ago.
· Kicker Ryan Succop is reliable and at one point in his career he made 56 straight field goals inside of 50-yards, which for a time was an NFL record.
INTANGIBLES
· Penalties have hurt both of these teams. Last season the Bucs committed 13 fouls in their loss to the Bears. The Bucs are still getting flagged at a high rate with 47 which is tied for 30th in the league and a league worst 471 yards. They have piled up the bulk of that yardage on the most yards penalized on defense in the league.
· The Bears issue has been personal fouls. They have committed 11 in six games, which is the most in the league and those are deadly for field position, momentum, and automatic first downs. Quieting that down is big against a Tom Brady-led team.
· Averaging 4.11 yards/pass attempt is not going to get it done. The Bears need more to threaten pockets of the field and score points.
· Tampa Bay’s defense is terrific up front, piling up the pressures, unleashing blitzes, and stopping the run to the tune of 3.35 yards/carry.
· This is a big challenge, but a protected and mobile Justin Fields can find time to fire some lasers in the seam to Cole Kmet, the screen game in whatever manner designed to quiet the edge rushers, and getting matchups with Allen Robinson, Darnell Mooney, and Marquise Goodwin that can exploit a secondary with backups at cornerback.
· Only eight teams in the last two years have hit 100-yards on the ground against Tampa’s defense, and the Bears have to find ways to get their ground game effectively up and running.
· Playing without star linebacker Lavonte David, means the Bears have to account for just Devin White at inside linebacker. He is an elite blitzer with rare play speed and a steady tackler. He can be picked on in the passing game if the matchup fits.
· The return of Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr means they have their stinger back in the secondary. He is a physical torpedo and an urgent player. The feisty Winfield finds big plays.
· The Bears offensive line will need to find ways to quiet the Bucs pass rush, but need help from Fields in getting the ball out quick and avoiding big sack yardage loss. The Bears have the most negative offensive yards in the league and still the lowest third down production yardage, so avoiding difficult conversions will be key.
· No team blitzes more than the Bucs and on the road in the noise and the heat, the Bears will have to adhere to their protection rules and be on constant alert and communication to protect .
Defense
· As of this writing we don’t know if Akiem Hicks, Bilal Nichols, or Robert Quinn will be able to play, and we assume Khalil Mack will continue to grind through his aches and pains and be the leader he continues to be. Whatever the case, the primary task is to make sure the Bucs don’t rev up their run game, and they must find a way to make Brady uncomfortable in the pocket.
· There is good depth up front to handle the absences, and that rotation will have to bring their lunch bucket and hard hats to work in Tampa. The offensive line of the Bucs has played together as much as any line in the league over the last two years. It is confident, sharp, and nasty led by their starting center Ryan Jensen.
· It is a battle in there with this group, also featuring second year Iowa right tackle Tristan Wirfs, who has only permitted one sack in first 22 NFL games and that was to Mack in week five last season at Soldier Field. They are very good up front, and of course QB Tom Brady makes them even better.
· It is going to be a critical day for the Bears front seven including linebacker Roquan Smith, the safeties, and the edge defenders to be on high alert for arguably the best and most successful screen team in the league right now.
· The line triggers the deception, and Brady executes his throws perfectly and for significant yardage and first downs. It is a big reason the Bucs lead the NFL in yards after the catch and have 100 plays of 10-yards or more through six games, which ranks 2nd in the league.
·Not having 33-year old Antonio Brown available is a big deal. He may be playing faster and better than he’s ever played. Brady looks for Brown when he needs a bail out throw, checkdown, touchdown, or third down play. Brown is averaging 22.0 yards/completion on 3rd down and his absence will hurt the Bucs.
· There is plenty to deal with weapon wise, and the Bears will have to play smart, avoid stinging penalties, and wrap tackle this bunch. From Mike Evans, to Chris Godwin, to Leonard Fournette, Ronald Jones, and Chicago area product Cameron Brate and fellow tight end O.J. Howard, the Bucs will impact every blade of grass.
Special Teams
· Matt Nagy is asking for a confident, aggressive, and complimentary brand of ball against the Bucs and that includes the special teams unit.
· The Bears hope to have Jakeem Grant ready to go despite a sore ankle to keep the return game percolating and the warm weather should make for a successful kicking game for Cairo Santos and punter Patrick O’Donnell.
· The Bucs put considerable emphasis on better special teams performance heading into 2021, and led by 27-year veteran coach and former Bears coordinator Keith Armstrong there is progress being made. On kick coverage alone, the Bucs are now 7th in yards allowed.
·Punter Bradley Pinion keeps things in the endzone with 30 of his 37 kickoffs resulting in touchbacks, after 85 a year ago.
· Kicker Ryan Succop is reliable and at one point in his career he made 56 straight field goals inside of 50-yards, which for a time was an NFL record.
INTANGIBLES
· Penalties have hurt both of these teams. Last season the Bucs committed 13 fouls in their loss to the Bears. The Bucs are still getting flagged at a high rate with 47 which is tied for 30th in the league and a league worst 471 yards. They have piled up the bulk of that yardage on the most yards penalized on defense in the league.
· The Bears issue has been personal fouls. They have committed 11 in six games, which is the most in the league and those are deadly for field position, momentum, and automatic first downs. Quieting that down is big against a Tom Brady-led team.
Jeff Joniak is the play-by-play announcer for the Bears broadcasts on WBBM Newsradio 780. Follow him on Twitter here: @JeffJoniak.
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