NEWSLETTER
Even after back-to-back losing efforts, the buzz around the Bears is as high as it’s been in some time, thanks to the performance of second-year quarterback Justin Fields in recent weeks.
With the 2-6 Detroit Lions coming to Soldier Field on Sunday, we have another golden opportunity to add to the good vibes surrounding the Bears’ future. Justin Fields and the offense has a shot at doing some damage against one of the worst secondaries in football — which we’ll discuss in Three Bears. And the defense gets somewhat of a breather after facing the Cowboys and Dolphins in the two previous weeks.
It’s a good time to be a Bears fan, and Sunday should be another enjoyable afternoon. In the meantime, hit the recruiting trail with Ryan Poles and Ian Cunningham in a new episode of 1920 Football Drive:
Game Info
Chicago Bears (3-6, T-2nd NFC North) vs Detroit Lions (2-6, T-4th NFC North) – FOX (Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez, Laura Okmin); WBBM 780 AM, 105.9 FM (Jeff Joniak, Tom Thayer, Mark Grote)
Kickoff Time: Noon CT
Site: Soldier Field; Chicago.
Referee: Land Clark
Odds: CHI -3, O/U 48.5 (via DraftKings Sports Book)
We Got $5 On It
Note: Patrick’s listed bets were placed on Draft Kings Sportsbook, while Luis’ were made at BetMGM.
Lu’s Plays
Patrick’s Plays
You can get in on this action at DraftKings:
[bet-promo id=”166783″ ]
But there are a number of other official gambling apps you can use (with some juicy promos) right here.
Starting QBs and Projected Game Stats
Lions: Jared Goff: 22/34, 255 passing yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 2 carries, 4 rushing yards
vs.
Bears: Justin Fields: 14/23, 175 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 11 carries, 72 rushing yards, 1 TD
Week 10 projected stats via ESPN projections
Bears Projected Starters
Offense
• QB Justin Fields
• RB David Montgomery
• FB Khari Blasingame
• WRs Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool
• TE Cole Kmet
• LT Braxton Jones, LG Cody Whitehair, C Sam Mustipher, RG Teven Jenkins, RT Riley Reiff
Defense
• LDE Al-Quadin Muhammad, LDT Armon Watts, RDT Justin Jones, RDE Trevis Gipson
• SAM Joe Thomas, MIKE Jack Sanborn, WILL Nicholas Morrow
• LCB Jaylon Johnson, RCB Kyler Gordon
• FS Eddie Jackson, SS Jaquan Brisker
Specialists
• Cairo Santos (kicker), Trenton Gill (punter, holder), Patrick Scales (long snapper), Dante Pettis (punt returns), Khalil Herbert (kick returns)
Lions Projected Starters
Offense
• QB Jared Goff
• RB D’Andre Swift
• WRs Amon-Ra St. Brown
• TE Brock Wright
• LT Taylor Decker, LG Jonah Jackson, C Frank Ragnow, RG Logan Stenberg, RT Penei Sewell
Defense
• LDE Charles Harris, LDT Alim McNeill, RDT Isaiah Buggs, RDE Aidan Hutchinson
• WLB Derrick Barnes, MLB Alex Anzalone, SLB Chris Board
• LCB Will Harris, RCB Jeff Okudah
• FS DeShon Elliott, SS Kerby Joseph
Specialists
• Michael Badgley (kicker), Jack Fox (punter, holder), Scott Daly (long snapper), Justin Jackson, Kalif Raymond (kick and punt returns)
Three Bears
Cole Kmet has three touchdown catches in the last two games, one more than he saw in his first two-plus seasons in the NFL. His targets, catches, and yardage has sky-rocketed from the early-season norms in recent weeks, and he is making the most of his opportunity.
Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy has also done an excellent job of getting the ball into Kmet’s hands with touches in the backfield, something Kmet said he likes the idea of.
It’ll be interesting to see if the budding connection between Fields and Kmet can continue to blossom this week against the Lions.
Justin Fields is white-hot right now and comes into this week’s matchup with the Detroit Lions as the reigning NFC Offensive Player of the Week after breaking Michael Vick’s regular season single-game rushing record for quarterbacks.
The second-year quarterback has put up some wildly good numbers over the past five weeks that have his stock at an all-time high.
Fields over his last 5 games:
With that being said, at some point it would be nice to see his arm put him in consideration for the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award. And this week’s matchup against the Lions might be just what the doctor ordered in that regard.
The Lions have an abysmal secondary, plain and simple. I wrote about the Lions secondary woes and where Justin Fields’ connections with his top play makers in the passing game stand at the halfway point in the season on Wednesday. You can check that out here:
The Bears’ right tackle situation is fluid. Larry Borom is healthy, but Riley Reiff was starting last week. And he very well could start again. No matter if it’s Borom or Reiff, the Bears’ starting right tackle will have their work cut out for them with Aidan Hutchison lining up opposite them on the line of scrimmage.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft has five sacks this season and hasn’t even begun scratching the surface of his potential as one of the brightest young edge rushers in the NFL. PFF has Hutchison graded out at 66.9 right now, which isn’t stellar, but he’s an immense talent and a potential problem. The Bears O-line better pack a lunch for this one or Fields will see a lot of 97 in white and blue.
