Following per week of uncertainty surrounding quarterback Justin Fields’ shoulder damage, the Chicago Bears will play the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
The Bears try to steer out of a four-game skid and have misplaced seven of eight total.
As kickoff approaches, right here’s our snapshot take a look at the sport.
1. Player within the highlight
Bears quarterback Trevor Siemian
With uncertainty surrounding Fields’ left shoulder damage, the Bears could also be leaning towards giving Siemian the emergency begin Sunday. The offense has been readying for that risk for the reason that week started with gamers feeling assured they’ll be capable of adapt with out a lot difficulty.
Yes, the Bears’ offensive model will look a lot completely different if Siemian begins as a substitute of Fields.
Said tight finish Cole Kmet: “I don’t know if Trevor is going to be popping off any 65-yard runs. And he’s OK with me saying that. I mean, obviously (the offense) changes a little bit. They’re different types of players.”
With Fields beginning the primary 11 video games and the Bears establishing a run-heavy id, they’ve the NFL’s No. 1 speeding assault, averaging 197.9 yards per recreation on the bottom with Fields main the crew with 834 speeding yards and 7 touchdowns. But the Bears are additionally lifeless final in passing, averaging 128.1 yards per recreation by the air whereas permitting a league-high 40 sacks. (The Atlanta Falcons are the one different crew with extra speeding yards than internet passing yards.)
At the very least, it could be attention-grabbing to see how offensive coordinator Luke Getsy would adapt the sport plan with Siemian as his starter.
“I think that would be a pretty easy transition,” coach Matt Eberflus mentioned earlier this week. “Trevor is obviously a very smart individual and a very good passer. He has a great grasp of the offense. He’s been here since Day 1. (He has) high functional intelligence.”
Added Kmet: “He’s poised. He has obviously been around the league, seen a lot of different things. He’s a smart guy.”
Having to make a quarterback change — for no matter cause — is nothing new at Halas Hall. Kmet, in his third season, has been by seven in-season quarterback adjustments throughout his profession.
“I’ve become accustomed to it,” he mentioned. “Not saying that’s a good thing. You just learn to deal with it. You focus on your job and the things you need to take care of. … It’s part of the league and part of the situation you’re in.”
2. Pressing query
Can the Bears offense make performs in opposition to a prime 10 Jets protection?
Even if there wasn’t a query of Fields’ capability to play with a shoulder damage, the Jets protection could be a troublesome take a look at for a nonetheless creating Bears offense.
“Probably one of the of best defenses we’ve played this year,” extensive receiver Darnell Mooney mentioned.
The Jets permit simply 310.5 yards and 18.6 factors per recreation, each within the prime 10 within the league. They have totaled 32 sacks, led by Quinnen Williams’ eight and Carl Lawson’s 5. They have 14 takeaways, together with 11 interceptions, led by Lamarcus Joyner’s three.
“This front seven is the real deal,” Getsy mentioned. “It’s why they’re having so much success this year.”
Bears extensive receiver Dante Pettis performed for the San Francisco 49ers when Jets coach Robert Saleh was the defensive coordinator there and mentioned praised the scheme.
“Everybody knows where they’re supposed to fit into the defense’s puzzle piece, and they just play their roles well,” Pettis mentioned. “They’ve got a lot of good players on defense.”
Cornerback Sauce Gardner is a defensive rookie of the 12 months candidate with two interceptions and 14 passes defended. Fifth-year cornerback D.J. Reed is second with seven passes defended.
“The rookie doesn’t play like a rookie,” Pettis mentioned. “He has some really good footwork and good patience. And I’ve played with D.J., I’ve known him for a little bit. He just keeps getting better. He never quits on a play, so that’s always tough. You think you have him beat, and he’ll come in at the last minute and poke the ball out. So they’re good players, and it’s going to be fun.”
3. Keep a watch on…
Jets quarterback Mike White
The Jets are coping with their very own quarterback chaos this week after benching 2021 No. 2 decide Zach Wilson, who accomplished simply 9 passes for 77 yards in a 10-3 loss to the New England Patriots final weekend.
White, a Dallas Cowboys fifth-round decide in 2018, will make his fourth profession begin Sunday. He began three video games in 2021 when Wilson was injured, throwing for 405 yards in his first begin in a win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
But the Jets misplaced the following two video games beneath White, together with a four-interception efficiency in a 45-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Eberflus mentioned the Bears should change their preparation for a distinct model of quarterback play.
“(Wilson) has the ability to escape — not to say that Mike doesn’t,” Eberflus mentioned. “(Wilson) can move. He’s an athlete. He can do the keepers, a lot of things on the edge of the defense, where Mike is more really good at passing. He’s more of a pocket guy.”
Saleh instructed reporters the Jets intend to get Wilson again on the sphere this season — but it surely received’t be Sunday. Joe Flacco would be the Jets backup with Wilson inactive.
“There are some basic fundamental things that have gotten really out of whack for (Wilson),” Saleh mentioned. “This is just an opportunity for him to sit back, focus on those things and find a way to reconnect with all the different things we fell in love with during the draft process. It’s something I feel like he’ll be able to do.”
4. Return coverage
The Bears have gotten into a nasty behavior of gifting factors lately with opponents scoring a return landing in every of the final 4 video games.
It began with Micah Parsons’ 36-yard fumble return rating within the Dallas Cowboys’ 49-29 blowout win in Week 8, a pivot level that successfully halted the Bears’ comeback try. The following week, Andrew Van Ginkel blocked a Trent Gill punt and rumbled 25 yards for a rating that put the Miami Dolphins forward 21-10 of their eventual three-point victory.
In Week 10, Detroit Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah got here up with a game-tying 20-yard interception return TD on an errant Fields display screen go. Last week, former Bear Cordarrelle Patterson rumbled 103 yards for a kickoff return rating, setting a brand new NFL report for profession kickoff return touchdowns together with his ninth.
“Obviously the guy made a heck of a play. But we had a couple guys get out of position,” Bears particular groups coordinator Richard Hightower mentioned. “We corrected it in the meeting room. Obviously, we’re not going to act like it didn’t happen. We’ve got to be better there.”
The Bears are actually 1-6 this season in video games determined by one rating. It isn’t serving to that they’ve discovered methods to beat themselves with expensive errors that flip into touchdowns going the opposite means.
5. Injury report
In addition to Fields’ damage, the Bears have been once more with out rookie defensive backs Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon for Thursday’s observe. Both gamers stay within the concussion protocol after struggling head accidents in opposition to the Falcons.
Predictions
Brad Biggs (5-6)
Of the 4 models on the sphere — Bears offense and protection and Jets offense and protection — New York’s protection is by far the perfect. The Jets have allowed 14.2 factors on common during the last six video games. The Bears had a troublesome time dealing with Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence of their final journey to MetLife Stadium, and Jets defensive sort out Quinnen Williams is an excellent greater downside. The Jets have probably the greatest go rushes within the league and barely blitz. Add it up and it is a difficult matchup for the Bears.
Jets 20, Bears 13
Colleen Kane (6-5)
This just isn’t the simplest prediction this week given the quarterback upheaval on either side. Nobody may be positive what the Jets are going to get from Mike White in his fourth profession begin, however his eight interceptions in 4 video games final season has to look good to the Bears protection. Meanwhile, what can we count on from the Bears offense both with an injured Justin Fields or with backup Trevor Siemian? What I do know is the Jets protection ought to have the sting in that matchup, so the Bears may very well be their fifth straight loss.
Jets 24, Bears 20
Dan Wiederer (6-5)
Both groups have handled completely different variations of quarterback turbulence this week. The Bears offense, although, figures to be extra affected after Justin Fields injured his left shoulder in final week’s loss. Alas, it seems to be like a winless November for Matt Eberflus’ squad, which can stay aggressive and feisty however nonetheless lacks sufficient playmaking firepower past Fields to get it performed.
Jets 24, Bears 20
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Source: www.bostonherald.com