KC Chiefs: Getting to know Chicago Bears before week 16
At 7-7, the Bears have been eliminated from the playoffs. What are their chances of playing spoiler these next two weeks?
Usayd: Pretty high. The Bears have a never-say-die attitude and they’re willing to take on anyone who they need to face. Games against the Vikings and Chiefs present a tough challenge however the Bears aren’t looking at either team’s record and thinking they don’t have a chance to win.
The Bears are thinking of how they can win. Although the Bears have seen numerous key contributors such as Danny Trevathan go down this season, guys like Nick Kwiatkoski and J.P. Holtz are stepping up to the task of filling the void left behind by key pieces.
The Bears rode their stout defense all throughout the 2018 season and it helped get them to the playoffs. While they’ve still been good in 2019, the numbers aren’t quite as astonishing. What happened to the defense this year?
Usayd: It’s a combination of a few things but the two main factors are injuries and a new defensive coordinator. First, when looking in injuries, the biggest name that went down early in the season for the Bears was defensive lineman Akiem Hicks who’s considered to be the glue that holds the defense together. Hicks takes on multiple double teams at the line of scrimmage which allows for players like Khalil Mack to easily make players.
Second, Chuck Pagano has taken over as defensive coordinator. Former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio spent three years building what many saw finally come to fruition in 2018. Even through all the injuries and Pagano continuing in install a new system, the defense has still been one of the best in the NFL and this is a trend that should continue over the next few years.
Who is a player on offense and on defense that Chiefs fans should know about heading into this game?
Usayd: On offense, it’d be wise to keep an eye on wide receivers Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller. Robinson, who is a Pro Bowl snub is still a 1,000 yard receiver in 2019 that’s averaging 12.3 yards per reception. He’s a big bodied wide receiver that has a knack for 50-50 balls and beating out defense backs in any way he can.
Then there’s Miller who, although he got off to a slow start in 2019, has 33 receptions for 431 yards over the last five games. Both of these are guys who despite a shaky quarterback situation have continued to perform at a high level and will be ready to give the Chiefs secondary a run for its money on Sunday night.
On defense, I’d keep an eye on Khalil Mack. The Chiefs are familiar with him having played him eight times between 2014 and 2017 while Mack was with the Raiders. While in Oakland, Mack always seemed to beat the Chiefs offensive line, which means that he’ll look to do the same on Sunday night.