After the loss to the Packers I’m at 3-0 in my weekly predictions, a small silverlining after getting beat by Green Bay. I’m afraid today, that it may go the same way as the Bears play the reigning SuperBowl Champions. I’m not going to lie; I do not see this ending well.
The Buccs host the Bears in Tampa in a fine run of form, standing 1st in the NFC South with a record of 5-1. Their only loss against the LA Rams who, as we as Bears fans know, are tough to beat. They are in form, with championship winning players, the GOAT at QB who probably wants to get one over on us from last years result.
The Buccs have multiple weapons in attack with Leonard Fournette, Gronkowski, Antonio Brown, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and of course Brady. They can hit you from any where at a given time.
Those weapons have amassed a total of 195 points in the 6 games they have played so far, containing 2 games over 45 points. The silver lining is that they have allowed 144, and splitting that up 3 of the wins they have had are only 1 score or field goal away from being a different result. Maybe not the almighty that I’ve made them out to be?
So what do the Bears have to do?
Trust in the running game that has served them well in recent times… no. The Buccs have the best running blocking defense in the NFL. They have an average of 54 yards per game allowed, which is half a game of a standard RB. That is a big challenge to over come.
So then the Bears throw the ball? With Tampa losing 3 of their best corner backs before the start of this game, sounds great right? The Bears have Justin Fields who has shown flashes of the talent and the great potential he has; and they have Mooney, Robinson, Graham as a red zone target… no.
BEARS NEED PASSING GAME TO TAKE A STEP
Bears have been far then impressive at the passing game. Fields is still a rookie and has played as such, and apart from Mooney, no one else has made a great connection with him. Not even ARob, who has less recorded yardage and TDs than this time last year playing with Foles and Trubisky.
The main chink in the armour for the Buccs is Brady. Brady is what makes them tick but if you take him out of the game then you take out the whole outfit. I feel it’s that easy – and with Mack, Quinn and Gibson in the form they are in you would fancy your chances. I mean the Rams had a stellar DLine and got the W.
So how do you stop Brady making plays? Keep Tampa’s offense off the field!
Take the offense off out of the game and it does 3 things. Makes Brady irrelevant, keeps the Buccs’ defense on the field and keeps our defense fresh.
Make their defense have to play and make every drive feel like a session on an assault bike. Make them hate getting back up to go again. Wear them down. The more time the defense has on the field, the more fatigued they’ll be and the more chances will open up for us.
That will also wear down the defense is mentally. Make the Buccs think about it rather than just getting into a rhythm. The Bears have so many TEs on their roster. Put 3 on at a time. Use WRs as blockers and misdirect short passes. That way Tampa may think twice about their standard setup which could open gaps for the run game.
The times then that we do concede play our defense would be fresh and ready to go take chunks out of Brady. Make him feel the pressure, get him frustrated, get Tampa frustrated. That’s what it comes down to, getting into their heads and off rhythm. Id it’s just about talent and skill, the Buccs will run rings around us.
It’s easier said than done. If it was that easy everyone would do it and do we trust the Bears to carry this out? That’s the question. I feel like we will fall short. There’s a lot to get correct and it will take mental toughness and creativity to get it right. After everything I have mapped out – with my sheer expertise (sarcasm) – I think we fall.
It’s not for a want of trying but I’m just not so sure that the Bears will get it done. If we can’t execute today, the likelihood of Tampa playing a bad game is very slim. That means one thing… a beating.
Bears 13 – Buccs 34
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