Bears Set Up Game For First Place

 November 12, 2018

The Chicago Bears scored the first 26 points and cruised to an easy 34-22 victory over the Detroit Lions. The loss squashed any faint hope the Lions had of making the playoffs as they are now three games behind the first-place Bears. The victory sets up a game for first place with the Minnesota Vikings on national TV.

Young quarterbacks usually have some bad and some good games. Sunday against Detroit, Mitch Trubisky had a very good game. The accuracy he has shown returned. He completed 23 of 30 passes. He read the defenses and made smart decisions. Trubisky had a career-best 355 passing yards with three touchdown passes. He also scored on a four-yard quarterback draw play. A big key: he was not intercepted.

Allen Robinson returned from a two-game absence and showed why the Bears made him their priority free agent signee. He had six catches for 133 yards and two touchdowns. Another free agent, tight end Trey Burton, has been good all year. The steal of this year’s draft, wide receiver Anthony Miller, had five receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown. The only downside to the offense was that aside from Trubisky, running backs Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen rushed for only 36 yards on 18 carries. The Lions came into the game ranking 30th in rushing yards allowed per game. The Bears have to improve on this, especially with the winter weather ahead.

After sitting out two games, Khalil Mack returned to lead the Bears’ domination of the Lions offense. Detroit quarterback Matt Stafford was under constant pressure, sacked six times – twice by Mack. Linebacker Leonard Floyd also recorded his first sack of the year. The Bears forced two interceptions and a fumble. An unsung hero of the defense is nickel-back Bryce Callahan, whose coverage has been good all year and had a monster sack and interception on Sunday.  And first-round draft pick, inside linebacker Roquan Smith, contributed with the first sack that took the Lions out of field goal range.

This game was marred by the lousy performance on special teams. Signed for four years, kicker Cody Parkey missed two extra points and field goals from 41 and 34 yards out. Taquan Mizzell (who?) muffed a catch on a kickoff return, letting a ball bounce at the one-yard line.

The Bears probably have their most important game in years playing the Minnesota Vikings for first place in the division. Minnesota has an elite defense which can shut down any offense. Coach Matt Nagy will have to devise a game plan to put up some points.

Easier said than done.

However, the Bears’ defense isn’t too shabby. Minnesota’s free agent signee, quarterback Kirk Cousins, hasn’t provided the huge impact the Vikings expected. Therefore, this should be a low-scoring game.  My fear is that it might be a battle of field goals.