The Chicago Bears look to increase their Soldier Field successful streak to 5 video games once they host the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
As kickoff approaches, right here’s our snapshot have a look at the sport.
Player within the highlight
Bears quarterback Justin Fields
As Bears management prepares to make massive selections for the long run, Fields has two extra video games to make his case to stay the group’s quarterback.
The Bears have received three of their final 4 video games behind Fields, who missed 4 video games midseason with a dislocated proper thumb. After a tough loss to the Cleveland Browns, Fields and the offense had positives and negatives in a 27-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16, the Bears’ fourth straight residence victory.
The Bears rushed for 250 yards, together with 97 yards and a landing from Fields. He additionally threw for 170 yards and a landing. But that included solely 35 passing yards within the second half, when the Bears scored simply six factors and Fields threw an interception.
Fields mentioned the Bears stalling within the second half “might be a mixture of execution and a little bit of complacency.”
“But we’ve had too many instances this year where we’ve had a lead and given it up,” Fields mentioned. “I’m undecided, however my job is to remain on these guys and ensure we’re targeted on every element every play we’re on the market.
“My goal is to try to score every drive. But if I do see that lull in the offense and everybody else, just try to get everybody up.”
As for his future, Fields mentioned he’s sustaining his weekly focus — this time on a Falcons protection that ranks ninth with 308.4 yards allowed per recreation — slightly than fascinated by what’s forward.
“I’m focused on Sunday and playing this Atlanta team,” Fields mentioned. “They’ve been playing well on defense and, shoot, they’re a good team. So we have a challenge up ahead of us, and everybody is going to be prepared for that.”
Pressing query
Can the Bears sluggish Falcons rookie operating again Bijan Robinson?
Robinson, the No. 8 select of Texas, has seen his manufacturing fluctuate this season, however he had an enormous recreation in a Week 16 win towards the Indianapolis Colts. He rushed for 72 yards on 12 carries and had a season-high seven catches for 50 yards.
For the season, Robinson has 188 carries for 873 yards and 4 touchdowns and 48 catches for 373 yards and three touchdowns.
Bears safeties coach Andre Curtis laughed when requested how you can get Robinson to the bottom.
“It’s easier said than done,” he mentioned. “The greatest technique to defend him is inhabitants. Obviously he exams the leverage of defenders. He can stress the sting. He can stick his foot within the floor. He could make an abrupt reduce. But the primary man has obtained to make a safe sort out, and then you definately’ve obtained to have inhabitants with the opposite guys swarming to the ball.
“Our goal is to get seven-plus guys on the screen in any given play. If we hold true to that, we’ll be OK. He’s a special player and he’s going to be hard to stop, but we’re up for the challenge.”
The Falcons rank eighth with 129.8 speeding yards per recreation, with Tyler Allgeier (175 carries, 646 yards, 4 touchdowns) and former Bear Cordarrelle Patterson (45 carries, 161 yards) additionally contributing. So will probably be a strong check for a Bears run protection that leads the NFL with 80.7 yards allowed per recreation.
As for the passing recreation, the Falcons began quarterback Taylor Heinicke as a substitute of Desmond Ridder towards the Colts, and Heinicke threw for 229 yards with a landing, no interceptions and a fumble. Heinicke was restricted in observe Wednesday and Thursday with an ankle harm however practiced in full Friday and has no harm designation for the sport.
“We just need to keep building upon what we’ve been doing,” defensive finish Montez Sweat mentioned. “Just getting turnovers, getting sack-fumbles, turning the ball over on downs, getting off the field on third down.”
Keep an eye fixed on …
Bears huge receiver DJ Moore
When Moore tweaked a earlier ankle harm on the primary go of the Cardinals recreation, huge receivers coach Tyke Tolbert’s exclamation was not match for print. Tolbert thought Moore was accomplished for the sport, however the Bears’ high huge receiver returned to play 74% of the offensive snaps.
“That joker is so tough,” Tolbert mentioned. “You could tell the way he was playing he was limited in his route tree. He couldn’t do some things. He wanted to be out there, he wanted to compete. So it’s like, I’m not going to take DJ off the field if he wants to be out there. But at some point in time, I’ve got to protect him from himself, so I took him out some plays.”
This week Moore declared his therapeutic potential to be like that of Wolverine. He mentioned he did rehab work on his ankle Monday and Tuesday in order that he could be able to return to observe Wednesday, and he participated in full all week.
However, huge receiver Darnell Mooney won’t play Sunday after self-reporting concussion signs after the sport.
“It’s a great opportunity for a lot of guys in the room, guys who have been champing at the bit to get more playing time, to show what they can do in NFL games,” Tolbert mentioned. “We have a lot of guys in that room that will divide Mooney’s share. We’re excited to see those guys play.”
The Falcons have the eighth-ranked passing protection, permitting 197.5 yards per recreation. They rank third in third-down protection at 33.7%.
Moore expects an aggressive secondary led by security Jessie Bates III, who has six interceptions and three compelled fumbles.
“They’re going to come up and press you, be aggressive and just be like little gnats the whole game because they’re not going to back off,” Moore mentioned. “So it’s going to be a challenge on the outside.”
Three C’s
When the Bears talked about kicker Cairo Santos’ four-year, $16 million extension final weekend, “the whole team went nuts,” particular groups coordinator Richard Hightower mentioned Thursday.
“The chants broke out, and they went and hugged him and tried to pick him up,” Hightower mentioned. “That’s how revered he is and how much people love him. So we’re ecstatic to have him and really appreciate Ryan (Poles) and his crew getting it done.”
Santos has made 29 of 31 field-goal makes an attempt this season (93.5%), not far off his career-best 93.8% in 2020 with the Bears. He has made 27 of 29 additional factors.
Hightower mentioned Santos at all times talks about his “three C’s” — confidence, consistency and being clutch. Santos was clutch once more Sunday within the win over the Cardinals, making subject objectives from 49 and 29 yards within the second half to assist the Bears seal the win.
“Really, you talk about a guy that’s just the pillar of all three C’s that I talk about, that’s him,” Hightower mentioned. “He wants to be here and he’s been as consistent as they come. So I got overjoyed (about the contract) just because of the person he is and how hard he works.”
Injury report
In 4 seasons, Bears tight finish Cole Kmet has by no means missed a recreation. The streak means lots to him, so he’ll do what he can to prepare for Sunday’s recreation regardless of a knee harm. Kmet was restricted in observe Friday and is listed as questionable.
“Something that was stressed by Jimmy (Graham) when he was here was that that’s the most important thing that these organizations really look at,” Kmet mentioned. “Availability is dependability. My job is to be ready for the game the best that I can. I’ve done that for quite a long time since I’ve been in the league.”
Kmet mentioned he was knocked out of Sunday’s recreation, by which he had 4 catches for 107 yards, when he was hit within the knee.
“I came back in and realized that I couldn’t do what I needed to do to execute my job,” he mentioned. “That’s kind of the balance. Could I stay out there? Yeah, but it’s not doing the team any favors, so you’ve got to be able to balance your effectiveness with the job but also playing through some things.”
Mooney is out and heart Lucas Patrick is questionable with a knee harm. But left guard Teven Jenkins will return after clearing concussion protocol.
For the Falcons, offensive lineman Kaleb McGary is questionable with a knee harm.
Predictions
Brad Biggs (11-4)
At full energy, I just like the Bears on this recreation as a result of their energy on protection — stopping the run — ought to management what the Falcons do greatest on offense. But a knee harm for tight finish Cole Kmet and a concussion for huge receiver Darnell Mooney makes you surprise if anybody aside from DJ Moore can step up and make performs. Moore didn’t seem on the harm report, however along with his current ankle points, it’s laborious to think about he’s 100%. The Falcons have invested closely of their protection and seen returns, and they are going to be difficult to run towards. I lean to the house group as Justin Fields has accomplished a superb job of defending the ball and Taylor Heinicke may throw up two or three for the Bears secondary.
Bears 19, Falcons 16
Colleen Kane (10-5)
The Bears are a bit extra banged up than they’ve been lately, and it’s not splendid that tight finish Cole Kmet (knee) was restricted all week in observe and huge receiver Darnell Mooney (concussion) will probably be out. But the 7-8 Falcons have performed loads of shut video games towards unhealthy groups and are one in all simply two groups to lose to the Carolina Panthers this yr, a 9-7 defeat two weeks in the past. Yes, quarterback Taylor Heinicke helped the Falcons bounce again towards the Colts final week, however the Bears protection ought to be capable of deal with its enterprise. And with one other heavy dose of the operating recreation, the Bears and quarterback Justin Fields ought to be capable of safe a fifth straight residence victory.
Bears 23, Falcons 20
Dan Wiederer (10-5)
The Falcons secondary and general go protection are feisty sufficient to offer Justin Fields complications. The absence of Darnell Mooney (concussion) and limitations of Cole Kmet (knee) are additionally notable. Still, the Falcons have been depressing on the highway this season and are beginning Taylor Heinicke at quarterback. The Bears’ Soldier Field successful streak continues. Happy New Year, Chicago.
Bears 23, Falcons 20
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Source: www.bostonherald.com